Banner 5-12-2022

Page 2 — Thursday, May 12, 2022 — The Hastings Banner

police shot at him 17 times, and he had been

hit four times. He said one bullet hit his head,

but the bullet had bounced off.

They also heard Riddle breaking liquor

bottles and throwing the cash register around.

Eventually he started going

through the building, and stopped

at the locked door. He called out

and asked if anyone was inside.

When the employees remained

silent, he asked again, and threat-

ened to shoot the door open.

The 74-year-old woman called

out to say they were inside.

Riddle said he would not hurt

them, put down the gun, and asked

them to open the door and get out.

As soon as they opened the door,

both women immediately left the

building. They saw Riddle only briefly, and

said he had what appeared to be a scrape on

his head with some blood running down his

nose.

At some point, the Michigan State Police

Emergency Support Team soon arrived at the

scene and started negotiations with Riddle.

At 1:30 a.m., after nearly seven hours of

standoff and negotiations, he surrendered.

Riddle was taken to Spectrum Health Pen-

nock for evaluation and then to jail.

He sustained minor injuries, and no police

or bystanders reported any injuries.

Riddle has spent most of his life

behind bars. He was 15 when he

was convicted in 1988 of breaking

and entering and felony murder.

According to the Detroit Free

Press article from the time, Riddle

broke into the home of 80-year-

old Renate Henie and crushed her

skull with a beer bottle. Her body

was found two weeks later.

He was sentenced to prison for

life, but later released on parole in

November 2019, after the U.S.

Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life

sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional.

The Hastings City Police said they had

contact with Riddle in 23 separate incidents

since August 2020. In most of those inci-

dents, Riddle was either a suspect or was

arrested.

MSU Extension state 4-H leader, said. “We
will work closely with MDARD and MAFE
(Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibi-
tions) to make sure that we address this
issue head-on.”
The preventative measures needed to pro-
tect flocks should not stop at the fairgrounds,
MDARD officials wrote. Whether it’s a few
backyard birds or a large commercial flock,
following a few key steps is fundamental to
protecting the health and vitality of Michi-
gan’s domestic birds:

• Prevent contact between domestic and
  wild birds by bringing domestic birds indoors
  or ensuring their outdoor area is fully
  enclosed.


• Wash hands before and after handling
  birds as well as when moving between differ-
  ent coops.


• Disinfect boots and other gear when
  moving between coops.


• Do not share equipment or other supplies
  between coops or other farms.


• Clean and disinfect equipment and other
  supplies between uses. If it cannot be disin-
  fected, discard it.


• Use well or municipal water as drinking
  water for birds.


• Keep poultry feed secure to ensure there
  is no contact between the feed/feed ingredi-
  ents and wild birds or rodents.
  In an April 20 press release, the Michigan
  Department of Natural Resources recom-
  mended residents remove bird feeders.
  “One easy way the public can help
  reduce the potential spread of HPAI is to
  remove outdoor bird feeders,” DNR offi-
  cials said. “... temporary removal of these
  food sources could be helpful, especially
  for anyone who has highly susceptible spe-
  cies – domestic poultry, raptors or water-
  fowl – living nearby. Similarly, removal
  could be a wise choice for those who
  observe high-risk species like blue jays,
  crows or ravens hanging around backyard
  bird feeders.”
  According to the U.S. Centers for Dis-
  ease Control and Prevention, the public
  health risk associated with these avian
  influenza detections remains low. No birds
  or bird products infected with HPAI will
  enter the commercial food chain. As a

reminder, people are encouraged to proper-

ly handle and cook all poultry and eggs.

Domestic bird owners and caretakers

should watch for unusual deaths, a drop in

egg production, a significant decrease in

water consumption, or an increase in sick

birds. If avian influenza is suspected in

domestic birds, owners should call MDARD

immediately at 800-292-3939 (daytime) or

517-373-0440 (after hours).

If anyone notices what appears to be

unusual or unexplained deaths among wild

bird populations, they are asked to report

those cases to the state DNR by using their

Eyes in the Field app (choosing the “Dis-

eased Wildlife” option among the selections

for “Observation Forms”) or by calling the

DNR Wildlife Disease Laboratory, 517-

336-5030.

More information on the current ban can

be found in the Frequently Asked Questions

section available at Michigan.gov/BirdFlu.

More information on avian influenza and

how to protect flocks through biosecurity

measures can be found on the U.S. Depart-

ment of Agriculture’s website, usda.gov.

A Life Changed

A few years ago, a 15-year-old youth came to Spiritual

Care Consultants. Her parents did not know what to do.

Their daughter had struggled for years. She had been

in and out of In-patient behavioral health facilities four

times, was on four different psychiatric medications,

and she had self-destructive behaviors. She had been

in counseling for years and was not getting any better.

Her father said that before Spiritual Care Consultants,

he had spent enough money on counseling to buy a

new car.

The journey with Spiritual Care Consultants was not

easy. She was not willing to come in but came because

of her parents. As you know it can take a village to

help one person. Within three months we had a major

breakthrough with the destructive behaviors. The end

results were that she reported a 50% improvement in

her anger, 90% improvement in her anxiety and ability

to function and 100% improvement in her depression.

She is now 26 years old, married with two children,

and is off all psychiatric medications. At SCC we give

all the glory to God for helping us bring healing to this

young lady’s life. There is nothing like seeing a mom

and dad get their child back and in their right mind

after struggling for years and feeling helpless to be able

to help their child.

Spiritual Care Consultants is a healing ministry that

believes that God created us Spirit, Soul, and Body. It

says in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “May God himself, the

God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May

your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” According to the Bible

the mind is in the soul. So, if we treat the mind, the

body but not the soul we have an incomplete treatment.

Most problems have their roots in the soul.

Spiritual Care Consultants has a special healing

process that was developed in 2007 and has an 89%

satisfaction rate. Please keep SCC in your prayers as

we reach out to help more and more people in a hurting

world.

Donations

Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit

Christian organization based in Hastings and serving

Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by

grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults

and children who are dealing with a variety of issues,

ranging from depression to anger and anything else that

is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and

being bullied.

Donations to SCC may be made by sending a check to

Spiritual Care Consultants,

1375 W. Green St., Suite #1,

Hastings, Mich. 49058

or by donating online at

https://www.spiritualcareconsultants.com/pages/make-a-donation

We THANK YOU for your generosity

and support!

Sponsored

by

180452

City of Hastings

NOTICE OF PUBLIC

HEARING ON

INCREASING PROPERTY

TAXES

The City of Hastings will hold a Public Hearing

for the purpose of hearing written and/or oral

comments from the public concerning a pro-

posed increase of 0.5360 mills in the operating

tax millage rate to be levied to support the

adopted budget for the fiscal year ending June

30, 2023. The public hearing will be held at 7:

PM on Monday, May 23, 2022 in City Council

Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 201

East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058.

If adopted, the proposed additional millage will

increase operating revenues from ad valorem

property taxes 3.30% over such revenues generat-

ed by levies permitted without holding a hearing.

If the proposed additional millage rate is not

approved, the operating revenue will increase by

3.53% over the preceding year's operating reve-

nue.

The taxing unit publishing this notice, and identi-

fied below, has complete authority to establish the

number of mills to be levied from within its

authorized millage rate. All interested citizens are

encouraged to attend and to submit comments.

A copy of this information, and additional back-

ground materials are available for public inspec-

tion from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through

Friday at the Office of the City Clerk, 201 East

State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058.

The City will provide necessary reasonable aids

and services upon five days notice to the City

Clerk at 269.945.2468 or TDD call relay services

800.649.3777.

Jane M. Saurman

City Clerk

Pennock fundraiser Saturday

Spectrum Health Pennock in

Hastings is holding its 10th annual

Julep Gala Saturday, May 14, at

Sesquicentennial Park in Mid-

dleville to raise funds to bring two

hyperbaric chambers to its facilities.

Cindy Bigler, nurse practitioner

at Pennock, said the hyperbaric

chambers are pieces of medical

equipment that allow patients to be

enclosed in a sealed chamber,

where they are immersed in 100

percent oxygen at higher-than-nor-

mal levels of pressure. This allows

the treatment to penetrate deeper

than it would at normal pressure

levels and is an effective way to

treat wounds, she said.

The chambers can be used to

treat diabetic wounds, radiation

damage, chronic bone infections,

burns and other injuries, she said.

Because hyperbaric treatments

are typically done five days a

week for two hours a day, many

patients don’t have time to make

the commute to and from these

areas as well as receive treatment,

Bernie Jore, Pennock’s chief oper-

ating officer, said.

Pennock is receiving the two

chambers from Spectrum Health

Butterworth in Grand Rapids

because Butterworth is installing a

new, larger hyperbaric chamber,

Jore said.

Funds raised from the Julep

Gala will be put toward renovating

a space at the Hastings hospital to

accommodate the two chambers.

An area of the building will need

to be reworked to facilitate the

usage of the two chambers, Jore

said.

Information and tickets are

available by calling Tami Elhart,

616-267-2986, or emailing tamara.

[email protected].

Delton alumni banquet May 21

Students who graduated from or

attended Delton Kellogg High

School are invited to the DKHS

Alumni Banquet Saturday, May 21.

Social hour will be from 5 to 6

p.m. at Faith United Methodist

Church, 503 M-43, Delton. Dinner

will begin at 6 p.m., followed by

the program.

Attendees are asked to bring a

dish to pass and their own table

service.

Freewill donations for the alum-

ni fund will be accepted.

Anyone wanting more infor-

mation may email dan.jeska@

gmail.com.

Garden club meeting tonight

Members of the Thornapple

Garden Club will learn about the

W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary at

their next meeting Thursday, May

12, from sanctuary manager Lisa

Duke.

The meeting, which is open to the

public, will be at Green Street Unit-

ed Methodist Church, starting with

fellowship and refreshments at 6:

and the speaker at 7 p.m. (Entrance

is from the back parking lot.)

The sanctuary was created in

1927 by Will K. Kellogg as a ref-

uge for the Canada goose and

other migratory birds. It also was

an important part of trumpeter

swan restoration efforts in Michi-

gan in the 1980s. The area remains

an important stopover location for

migrating and waterfowl and other

birds. The sanctuary offers 180

acres of diverse wildlife habitats

situated around 40-acre Winter-

green Lake.

Today, it continues a commit-

ment to conservation through citi-

zen-science projects, internship

opportunities, research, and edu-

cation for families, schools and

organized groups as a primary

outreach arm of Michigan State

University’s W.K. Kellogg Bio-

logical Station.

Membership information for the

club can be obtained from Mary

Alber by calling 269-355-9895.

NEWSNEWS

BRIEFSBRIEFS

STATE, continued from page 1 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Concerned residents crowded into Hope Township Hall for the public hearing Thursday. (Photo by Leila Wood)

Smith & Sons application to mine there must

be granted, township officials said.

The mining companies’ attorney, Ken Ver-

meulen, suggested amending the application

to include Stoneco, since they are the ones

who will be mining there, if the application is

approved.

“We can submit an amendment and start

this all over from Ground Zero,” Vermeulen

said, “I just don’t think that’s a (good) use of

anybody’s time...”

“The whole discussion of very serious con-

sequences only gets started once we’ve

agreed that there is a need for the product,”

Chairman Bob Norton said.

The commission received more than 30

comments, including written messages and

statements from members of the public who

were present at the hearing.

Concerns were expressed about potential

pollution, erosion, increase in traffic, noise

and impact on wildlife and the lake commu-

nity. They also expressed concern about the

possibility of decreasing property values in

the vicinity of the mine and, as a result, a

decrease in tax revenue for the township and

school district.

Bill Krueger, who is board president of the

Healthy Waters Alliance, quoted from the

Hope Township Land Use Plan: “The lakes

located in Hope Township are substantial

recreational amenities and enhance the appeal

of the community as a prime residential area

within Barry County. Additionally, the water

bodies and the surrounding land are valued

for ecological significance and treasured for

aesthetic and recreational value. As such,

Lake Residential areas will warrant special

planning attention...”

“What am I fighting for? I’m fighting to

preserve something that is precious,” Krueger

said.

Ellen Berens talked about a similar applica-

tion by Stoneco that was recently denied in

Washtenaw County, pointing out that local

planning commissions can reject these requests.

A petition to stop the proposed gravel mine

was submitted by Dana Hawk.

A letter from the Barry County Road Com-

mission, which was read at the meeting by

Planning Commissioner Roger Pashby, said

the Road Commission does not believe

increased traffic at the proposed gravel mine

would have a negative impact of any signifi-

cance on that area.

“Any time additional traffic is being direct-

ed onto a county road there is obviously

going to be additional impact,” Pashby read.

“However, there are probably few roads that

are more prepared for this operation than

Miller Road, as it was recently paved and has

minimal traffic.

“We have no issues with this operation.”

GRAVEL, continued from page 1 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

RIDDLE, continued from page 1 –––––––––––––––––

Timothy Riddle