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Chronicle in January 2007. He is
a Michigan Press Association past
winner for Best Sports Feature and
Best Local Columnist.
“A community newspaper plays a
vital role in fostering local engage-
ment and strengthens the sense of
belonging and connection with its
citizens,” said Hendler. “I’m looking
forward to immersing myself in this
dynamic community and collaborat-
ing with and highlighting the many
exceptional people, organizations
and agencies that are transforming
Battle Creek.”
Smith said the entire editorial team
at View Newspaper Group will ben-
efit thanks to Hendler’s decades of
experience.
“John brings to the table a wealth
of knowledge both of the communi-
ties he serves and of the profession
of journalism. We’re happy to wel-come him into this new role within
our company and know the com-
munity of Battle Creek is in great
hands,” said Smith. “Our mission
is to connect communities through
our locally-owned newspapers and
our entire editorial team does that
through their outstanding reporting.
John will be a great leader within
that team.”
Founded in 2003, View Newspaper
Group is a locally-owned, locally-
connected community newspaper
group covering 13 Michigan coun-
ties. As Michigan’s largest indepen-
dently owned newspaper group, the
company publishes 21 newspapers
with print editions reaching more
than 335,000 households each week,
plus an additional 500,000 monthly
online readers. For more informa-
tion, visit mihomepaper.com or con-
tact View Newspaper Group Brand
Manager Emily Caswell at ecas-
[email protected].BY JOHN HENDLER
Editor
These days, Matt Jones has a posi-
tive outlook on life and takes pride in
being a father and helping others get
back on their feet as a case manager
at The Share Center in Battle Creek.
But, seven and a half years ago,
Jones had hit rock bottom. A 20-year
drug addict and living on the streets,
Jones was arrested and facing jail
time.
“I was looking at four years
minimum in prison but judge Sarah
Lincoln (37th Circuit Court) sen-
tenced me to a cognitive behavioral
thinking program and men’s life
recovery program and aftercare,”
said Jones. Judge Lincoln gave‘The Haven saved his life’
Formerly a drug addict and
homeless, Matt Jones’ life
changed when he came to
The Haven in 2017. Today, he
helps others turn their livesaround.
me an opportunity to save my life.
But, I came to The Haven of Rest
Ministries in April 2017 a broken
man. I can’t even begin to explain
how bad my life had become. I sat
out there and I stared out the window
for the first month. I was just barely
existing.”
Jones, now 39, said he started out
abusing prescription medication.
“Then it led me down a dark hole
and a dark path,” he said. “My ex-
wife, she was my girlfriend at the
time, and we ended up out on the
streets. She ultimately became a
‘lady of the night’ (prostitute) and
we were living under a bridge and
drugs became our lord and master.
Everything we did was to get drugs
and to fulfill our selfish needs. The
money we had went to drugs and
alcohol... I joke how I only smoked
crack one time, but it was for three
years. I just never stopped and ulti-
mately I ended up getting in trouble
and getting busted. And Judge Sarah
Lincoln (37th Judicial Circuit Court)See SAVED on 13CERTIFIED BENEFIT ADVISORS
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