The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 12, 2022 — Page 5Local news reporting matters for many reasons
To the editor:
I recently read an article titled “The
demise of the small-town newspaper.”
I certainly hope our small-town newspa-
per, The Hastings Banner, does not follow in
that path.
Not only does their staff cover county
activities we all like to read about, they
also do a great job of investigative report-
ing.
I hope people realize how gutsy they are
to provide us with articles, such as the sher-
iff’s election fraud investigation. It’s a very
emotional subject for many – and I can tell
you from experience that it brings the worst
out in some people.
But such reporting is necessary and appre-
ciated by many. Without it, how would the
citizens of our county be made aware of such
irresponsible behavior by one of our elected
officials?
So thank you, Hastings Banner, for whatyou do. And I hope you’re around to do it for
many years to come!Larry Osborne,
DeltonFair is fair and a tax exemption in this case is not
To the editor:
The decision of the Hastings Charter
Township Board of Review to put the coun-
ty’s Harvest Pointe Senior Living Facility on
the tax rolls was not a hard decision to make.
The new county facility is in direct compe-
tition with every taxable privately owned
facility of this type in Barry County.
This tax exemption gives the county an
unfair and unjust advantage to pay their share
of expense that all others have to pay. Private
facilities have to pay to finance their tax-ex-
empt government to be their competition.
The tax millage paid to subsidize Thornap-ple Manor to manage to stay in business just
adds insult to injury.
The county should pay their fair share.
It’s that simple.Jim Brown,
Hastings Charter TownshipDelton man dies in Rutland Township crash
Greg Chandler
Staff Writer
A 76-year-old Delton man is dead after his
pickup truck struck a Michigan Department
of Transportation truck from behind and then
hit several trees.
Roland Ferris Sr. was killed in the crash
that occurred about 3:40 p.m. Thursday after-
noon, May 5, on M-43, south of Quimby
Road in Rutland Charter Township.
According to Barry County Sheriff’s
Department investigators, Ferris was driving
a Ford F-150 pickup northbound on M-
when it struck an MDOT truck and trailer in
the rear. The pickup then continued north on
M-43 as the MDOT truck and trailer turned
into a parking area.
Ferris’ pickup then failed to negotiate a
curve north of Tillotson Lake Road, leaving
the roadway to the right. The truck traveled
several hundred feet until it struck several
trees, investigators said.
Witnesses and passing motorists pulled
Ferris from his truck and initiated CPR.Lifesaving efforts were continued by medi-
cal first responders and ambulance person-
nel. Ferris was taken to Spectrum Health
Pennock in Hastings, where he was pro-
nounced dead.
The crash remains under investigation.
Officers were assisted at the scene by Hast-
ings/BIRCH medical first responders, Mercy
Ambulance, Freeport Area Volunteer Fire
Department, Barry County Sheriff’s Office
Victim Services Unit and Barry County Cen-
tral Dispatch.Hastings business students compete in Dallas
Students from Hastings High and Middle
schools attended the Business Professionals
of America 2022 National Leadership Con-
ference in Dallas May 4-8.
Hastings High School chapter member
Abigail Owen, along with Hastings Middle
School chapter members Owen Boge, Ben
Carl and Parker Erb, joined nearly 6,
conference delegates from across the nation
to compete in national-level business skills
competitions and attend leadership develop-
ment, workshops, general sessions and
national officer candidate campaigns and
elections.
In addition to having the opportunity to
compete on the national stage and learn from
leading business professionals, students had
the opportunity to experience Dallas and the
surrounding areas.
“Each year, the National Leadership Con-
ference offers our students the opportunity to
showcase their skills and compete against
other students from across the country and
be recognized for their dedication and hard
work they have put forth through the year,”
said Hastings chapter Co-Advisor Bob Carl,
who teaches, computer science, cybersecuri-
ty, digital multi-media design and finance.
“This year, we had four students who
excelled throughout the year and represented
our local chapters.”
Abigail Owen, who had placed first in
Fundamentals of Web Design at the state
leadership conference, qualified to compete
at the national level. For the Fundamentals
of Web Design event, students must demon-
strate knowledge of fundamental web design
HTML5 coding and syntax to include CSS3.
Owen Boge and Ben Carl placed fourth in
Website Design Team. For this event, theteam worked together to create a website
based on the topic of how to become a BPA
officer, such as qualities, characteristics,
scholarship, networking, leadership and
Torch Awards.
Parker Erb placed sixth in computer liter-
acy concepts, in which students must demon-
strate a basic understanding of computer
terminology related to operating systems,
hardware components, software applications
and digital citizenship.
Ben Carl also competed in computer liter-
acy concepts, and Parker Erb also competed
in business fundamentals concepts and busi-
ness math concepts.
Business Professionals of America is the
premier career and technical student organi-
zation for high school, college and middle
school students preparing for careers in
business, finance and management informa-
tion system and other related fields. The
organization’s activities and programs com-
plement classroom instruction by giving
students practical experience through appli-
cation of the skills learned at school. BPA
also enhances student participation in pro-
fessional, civic, service and social endeav-
ors.
High school career and technical educa-
tion business teachers and co-advisors for
BPA, Bob Carl and Jeff Erb assisted students
in preparation for their events. Carrie Carl,
middle school science teacher and BPA liai-
son also assisted the students.Saxon football players assist Rutland Township woman
Betty Short, a Rutland Township resident,
was in need of some yardwork assistance.
She recently called Hastings High School to
see if anyone could help her. Cheryl Northrop,
athletic office administrative assistant, con-
tacted Coach Jamie Murphy, and he immedi-
ately formed a plan to help Betty.
Coach Murphy visited Betty and assessed
what needed to be done. Murphy then assem-
bled a small group of his varsity football
players, and Saturday, May 7, they worked on
Betty’s yard for two hours. Seven Saxon foot-
ball players volunteered their time to clear
brush, clean her garden, cut down trees and
plant some shrubs. They laid down mulch and
prepared the landscape to be mowed.
Betty also needed help with moving some
furniture, so the students spent time helping
her out inside the house, as well.
Showing their dedication, four of the seven
students got back at 10:30 p.m. Friday night
from a track meet in Flint. One of the students
got up at 5 a.m. to help lay concrete, and then
proceeded to meet his teammates at Betty’s
house to help them out.
As Murphy was leaving, Betty had tears inher eyes and was so grateful for the boys’
time and selflessness.
Our students provide so many acts of kind-
ness to our community, and this leadership by
Coach Murphy just goes to show how our
Saxons go above and beyond to positively
impact our community.Tina Maria Nelson, 38, of Clarksville,
was found guilty of using a controlled sub-
stance, cocaine, heroin or other narcotic, as a
subsequent offender Dec. 30, 2019, in Hast-
ings. She was sentenced by Judge Michael
Schipper to 52 days in jail, with credit for 52
days served, ordered to pay $485 in fines and
costs and placed on probation for 24 months.
Nelson must pay a fee of $30 a month for
regular supervision or $60 a month for elec-
tronic monitoring. A count of possessing less
than 25 grams of a controlled substance,
cocaine, heroin or other narcotic, was dis-
missed at the time of sentencing. Court
records show she was previously convicted of
possession of less than 25 grams of cocaine,
heroin or a narcotic March 4, 2020, and use
of methamphetamine Feb. 24, 2020.
James John Kerr, 45, Dowling, was
found guilty of domestic violence Nov. 3,
2021, in Johnstown Township as a third-time
habitual offender. He was sentenced by Judge
Schipper to serve 60 to 90 months in prison,
with credit for 141 days served. He was order
to pay $998 in fines and costs. The court
record shows prior convictions for domestic
assault in 1994, 2001, 2016 and 2018, as well
as convictions for operating a vehicle while
intoxicated as a third offense Oct. 15, 2004,
and first-degree retail fraud March 23, 1995,
all in Barry County.
Devan Joseph Swanson, 21, of Mid-
dleville, was found guilty of third-degree
criminal sexual conduct. He was sentenced
by Judge Schipper to 13 months in prison,
with credit for 99 days served. Swanson was
ordered to pay $1,058 in fines and costs. Two
other counts of third-degree criminal sexual
conduct and three counts of fourth-degree
criminal sexual conduct were dismissed at the
time of sentencing.
In a separate case, Swanson was found
guilty of embezzlement as an agent, employ-
ee or trustee of $1,000 or more, but less than
$20,000 of Michigan lottery cards, tickets,
cash, food and drink items and other personal
property of his employer Aug. 17-23, 2020,
in Middleville, and sentenced to 99 days in
jail, with credit for 99 days served. He was
ordered to pay $3,356 in fines and costs. Pro-
bation and his Holmes Youthful Trainee Act
status were revoked at a probation violation
hearing April 20.
Chris Edward Hayes, 48, of Hastings,
was found guilty of possession of the con-
trolled substance methamphetamine/Ecstacy
Nov. 14, 2021, in Barry Township as a three-
time habitual offender. He was sentenced by
Judge Schipper to serve 180 days in jail, pay
$1,498 in fines and costs and was placed on
probation for 36 months. Hayes is to be
released early to Alternative Directions as
soon as possible and pay a monthly supervi-
sion fee of $30 or a fee of $60 a month for
electronic monitoring. Counts of failing tostop after a collision on M-43 and operating a
vehicle with a forged/altered/false ID which
he provided to police while being detained
were dismissed at the time of sentencing.
Court records show prior convictions for fail-
ing to stop at the scene of an accident result-
ing in serious impairment or death Nov. 28,
2012, possession of analogues April 10,
2013, operating/maintaining a laboratory
March 2, 2017, and use of methamphet-
amines May 28, 2019, all in Barry County.
In a separate case, Hayes was found guilty
of assaulting a police officer Sept. 1, 2021, in
Carlton Township as a habitual offender. He
was sentenced by Judge Schipper to a concur-
rent term of 180 days in jail, with credit for
180 days served. Hayes was ordered to pay
$998 in fines and costs and placed on proba-
tion for 36 months.
Joey James Kidder, 46, of Delton, was
found guilty of capturing/distributing an
image of an unclothed person Sept. 12, 2021,
in Barry Township. He was sentenced by
Judge Schipper to serve 31 days in jail, with
credit for one day served. Kidder was ordered
to pay $1,058 in fines and costs and placed on
probation for 60 months, with a $30 monthly
supervision fee or a $60 electronic monitor-
ing fee. Other counts of using a computer to
commit the crime of capturing/distributing
the image of an unclothed person, using a
computer for eavesdropping, installing or
using a device to do so, and surveilling an
unclothed person were dismissed at the time
of sentencing.
Miquan Gerard Mills, 33, of Battle
Creek, was found guilty of possessing a
Taser, and an open container of alcohol in a
vehicle Dec. 26, 2020, in Hastings. He was
sentenced by Judge Schipper to concurrent
sentences of two days in jail, with credit for
two days served, on each count, ordered to
pay $548 in fines and costs and placed on
probation for 12 months. He must pay $30 a
month for supervision or $60 a month for
electronic monitoring.
Michael Scott Pennington, 33, of Delton,
was found guilty of assault with a dangerous
weapon, a shotgun, April 22, 2021, in Hope
Township. He was sentenced by Judge Schip-
per to serve 24 to 48 months in prison, with
credit for 365 days served. Pennington was
ordered to pay $1,198 in fines and costs and
placed in boot camp as soon as he is eligible.
Counts of being a felon in possession of a
firearm, felony firearm, having a shotgun in
his possession at the time he was committing
or attempting to commit a felony and domes-
tic violence were dismissed at the time of
sentencing. The court record shows prior
convictions for possession of methamphet-
amine April 27, 2017, in Barry County, and
attempted fourth-degree criminal sexual con-
duct on an incapacitated victim Oct. 18,
2017, in Kent County.‘Sugar daddy’s’ offer is not so sweet
A Middleville woman reported April 21 she had been scammed out of $180. The
woman told police she had met a man on a dating app who told her he wanted to be her
“sugar daddy,” and that if she sent him $180 through CashApp and PayPal he would send
her $6,000 in return. The woman said he never responded once she sent the money. She
told police she had only talked to the man via Snapchat, where his profile stated he lived
in Bloomfield. Police advised the woman to seek reimbursement through CashApp and
PayPal. The woman told police she wanted it documented that she knew it was a scam
when she sent the money to the man and he stopped responding.Vehicle, keys, purse stolen from Delton home
Police responded April 27 to a report from a Delton-area woman that her vehicle had
been stolen. The woman, who lives on M-43, said she had walked out of her house that
morning to go to work only to realize that her car was missing. She told police she had
seen it the day before around 6 p.m. when she stepped outside to smoke. The woman said
she hadn’t missed any of her loan payments, and she wasn’t sure who might have taken
the vehicle. The car keys were in the vehicle along with her wallet, credit cards and
driver’s license, she said. Police told the woman to contact her bank and place a hold on
her credit cards.Stolen car located near Bellevue
Police responded April 29 to a report of a vehicle that had been sitting in a ditch on
Huff Road, west of M-66, near Bellevue for several days. The vehicle was placed on a
jack, had a flat front passenger tire, and the rear passenger tire was loose and missing its
lug-nuts. The vehicle had an Indiana plate, which police were able to connect to a vehi-
cle that had been reported stolen by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. The owner was
contacted, and the vehicle was towed to his address in Coldwater. While police were
investigating, a man who lived nearby approached them and said he had seen another
man jog by his house around 10:30 p.m. April 26, which he thought was suspicious. The
man said he then drove down the road and saw the unoccupied vehicle in the ditch, but
did not report the situation to police at that time.Suspicious man with fireplace poker stopped at gunpoint
Police responded April 30 to a report from a Bellevue-area woman of a suspicious
man carrying a large hook and staggering up and down North Avenue near Lacey Road.
The responding officer parked behind the man, who had a black pointed object in his
hand. The man started walking around the front of the cruiser to approach the officer,
who said he told the man repeatedly to put his hands up, to no effect. When reaching the
rear tail light of his vehicle, the officer drew his gun on the man who then stopped and
put his hands up. The officer then lowered his weapon and asked the man to drop what
he was holding. The man shook a fireplace poker out of the sleeve of his jacket. The man
told the officer he had experienced situations where he had felt unsafe while walking,
and carried the poker for protection. The officer observed that the man was unsteady and
appeared to be intoxicated. The officer offered to give the man a ride, but a friend arrived
and agreed to take the man home.HASS Headlines
Matt Goebel, Superintendent
Hastings Area School SystemAshley Marie Slater, Middleville and Jayson Anthony Street, Middleville
Edward J. Detweiler, Hastings and Christina P. Wengerd, Hastings
Holly Jean Veldhuis, Delton and Jon Christopher Holthof, Byron Center
Mauricio Antonio Diaz, Hastings and Barbara Renee Leatherman, HastingsMarriage Licenses
Ben Carl (left) and Owen Boge placed fourth
in the national Website Design Team event.
Parker Erb placed sixth in com-
puter literacy concepts last week
in Dallas. (Photos provided)Hastings High School senior Abigail Owen
competed in a web design and coding
national contest.