The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — Page 5Man defrauded of $15,000 with
phony check scam
A 73-year-old Delton man reported he had been scammed out of $15,000 around 11
a.m. on Sept. 9. The man told police he had been talking to a woman he had never met
on WhatsApp that claimed to be from Battle Creek. The woman told the man she was
taking a trip to Florida to see her sickly uncle and asked the man to hang onto her
money to keep it safe. She sent a check for $15,000 which the man deposited into his
account. The woman then asked the man for several eBay gift cards totaling $3,000 and
also asked that he wire $12,000 to a Utah man’s bank account, who she claimed was a
surgeon. The man later discovered that the $15,000 check from the woman wasn’t
valid, after which he contacted his bank and police.Bat in the belfry trips burglar alarm
A 61-year-old Richland man met police outside a church on the 4000 block of Hick-
ory Road around 2 a.m. on Sept. 5 after a motion-sensor burglar alarm in the building
was tripped. After walking through the building with the man, police found no signs of
forced entry and found only a bat in the main room of the building.Pig runs hog wild
on neighbor’s property
The Barry County Sheriff’s department received three reports from a 73-year-old
Hastings man of a pig on the loose on the 1000 block of Valentine Road between Aug.
30 and Sept. 12. The man told police there was a frequent issue with his neighbor’s pig
running loose on his property. After the third report, police issued the man’s neighbor
with a citation for a violation of livestock-at-large laws.Man walks away from fiery crash,
claims he was held at gunpoint
Police responded to a reported crash near the intersection of Cedar Creek Road and
West Dowling Road around 11 p.m. on Sept 1. While police were on the way, Barry
County Central Dispatch informed the officer that the caller saw the driver of the vehicle
walking away from the scene of the crash. Upon arriving, the officer saw the crashed
vehicle on the side of the road fully engulfed in flames, with the Delton Fire Department
working to put out the fire. Police searched the area but could not locate the driver.
The next day at 9:30 a.m., a 34-year-old Delton man called to report that he was held
at gunpoint and had crashed the vehicle. The man told police he had left the bar around
10 p.m. that night and started to drive home when a man appeared from the backseat of
the vehicle and jabbed him in the ribs with a handgun. The man told police he then
crashed the vehicle, although he doesn’t remember how. After the vehicle crashed, he
said the man with the gun asked him to walk into the woods, which they both did before
the gunman was picked up by another vehicle.
A witness on the scene told police he heard the accident occur outside his home and
came out to see what happened, where he saw a crashed vehicle on fire. The witness saw
a man walking away from the scene, who he asked if he was okay and if there was any-
one else in the crash. The man told the witness it was just him and gave him a thumbs
up before walking into the woods.Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
events for Sept. 22-
Sept. 1-30 – September Storywalk Book:
“Be a Tree!” By Maria Gianferrari. Learn
how you can be a tree, and how, collective-
ly, we can be a forest – stronger together.
After reading the book, stop by the south
side bathrooms of the Visitor Center for
activities to learn more about Michigan’s
trees. A portion of this Storywalk book is
thanks to the generosity of Joel and Barba-
ra Vandyken. The Storywalk is free and
self-guided.
Saturday, Sept. 24 – Learning the Land
Series: Sand Prairie Summer, 10 a.m.-
noon. Listed as imperiled habitat in Michi-
gan, learn the features of a sand prairie,
search for box turtles with one of the Insti-
tute’s researchers and enjoy a saunter
through this rare place. This event is open
to those 9-years-old or older, but those
under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Members can enjoy this event for free, and
non-members will pay $5.
Saturday, Sept. 24 – The Scientist’s
Secret: Puzzle Game on the Trails kick-off
event, 1-5 p.m. Outdoor and puzzle enthu-
siasts will finally be able to enjoy an event
that combines their interests. Part scaven-
ger hunt and part escape room, this outsidepuzzle game will equate to 100 percent
fun. Attendees can play as an individual or
as a team. Participants will discover a jour-
nal left by an Institute scientist and will
follow in their footsteps to learn the secrets
of the natural world and return the journal.
Small prizes will be awarded to the fastest
teams of the day. Hints will be provided
for those that get stuck. Registration for a
timeslot is required to compete for the
prizes. This is the kick-off event to the
semi-permanent puzzle game on PCCI’s
trails. Following the kick-off event, the
self-guided puzzle game will be available
for all of fall. Want to do this puzzle game
as a team-building activity for your scouts
or workplace? Please contact Ellen Holste,
Community Program Manager at ehol-
[email protected] for more
details. Timeslots for this event are: 1
p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m.
and 3:30 p.m. This event is free for mem-
bers and $5 for non-members. Anyone
9-years-old or older is welcome to the
event.
Those interested can register for these
events and find more information at cedar-
creekinstitute.org/events.html.Thornapple Players to perform
‘Steel Magnolias’ next week
The Thornapple Players will return to the
Dennison Performing Arts Center stage next
week to perform “Steel Magnolias.”
Shows will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday
through Saturday, Sept. 29, 30, Oct. 1; and 2
p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2.
Tickets for the shows will be $10 for
adults and $8 for seniors and students.
The Players will also have an open-to-the-
public dress rehearsal on Wednesday, Sept.
28 at 7 p.m. All seats will be $7 for this
rehearsal.
“Steel Magnolias” tells the story of six
women in rural Louisiana, based on author
Robert Harling’s personal experiences.
Truvy Jones runs a successful beauty
salon in Chinquapin, La., where all the
ladies in the neighborhood have a standing
Saturday appointment. Along with her anx-
ious and eager assistant, Annelle, Truvy
styles the hair of many of the women about
town: wealthy widow and former first lady
of Chinquapin, Clairee Belcher, local cur-
mudgeon Ouiser, intelligent and compas-
sionate career woman M’Lynn and her
daughter Shelby, the prettiest girl in town.
Shelby’s engagement is the talk of the
town, but the joy and excitement of her wed-
ding quickly turn to concern as she faces a
risky pregnancy and a myriad of health com-
plications.
Producer Norma Jean Acker said the
Players performed “Steel Magnolias” in
2009 and are excited to be able to put on the
show again 13 years later. When the Players
first performed “Steel Magnolias,” the
group was still located in the Czinder Hall-
mark Building.
Even though the Players performed the
show years ago, Acker believes this new cast
will bring a thrilling, fresh take on the story.
“We are very excited about this cast and
crew,” said Acker.
“You won’t want to miss it.”
Lis Burton-Haas is making her directorial
debut with Thornapple Players, though she
has been seen on stage several times, includ-
ing in “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Nun-
crackers,” “Miracle on 34th Street” and in
the limited run of “Young Frankenstein” as
Elizabeth.
The cast includes Cindy Faubert Hayes asTruvy Jones, Kassi Pineau as Annelle
Dupuy-Desoto, Julie Coon as Clairee
Belcher, Ellie Payne as Shelby Eaten-
ton-Latcherie, Pennie Westers as M’lynn
Eatenton and Vicki St. John as Ouiser Bou-
dreaux.
In the crew are director Burton-Haas,
assistant director and costumer Jennifer
Craven, stage manager Terri Schray, lights
operator Aidan Oliver, sound operator Rick
Hemerling, house manager Carol Svihl, set
builders and designers Dan and Audrey Bur-
ton and producer Acker.
“We were not looking for actresses to
imitate the film actors, but rather to work
from the original script,” said Acker. “We
have a great cast. The audience will not be
disappointed.”
The Dennison Performing Arts Center is
at 231 S. Broadway, Hastings (entrance is
through the door on Center Street).
Advance tickets may be purchased at Pro-
gressive Graphics or by calling the Thor-
napple Arts Council of Barry County, 269-
945-2002. Masks are encouraged, but not
required.Hastings High School to host
West Michigan Drum Bash
The West Michigan Drum Bash returns
to Baum Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 25 at
noon. The annual event is no stranger to
Hastings, where it has been held for several
years in a row.
West Michigan area high school drum-
lines are invited to perform their marching
shows for each other at the Drum Bash, as
well as for a clinician. Following each per-
formance, the clinician will work with the
drumlines to help improve each band’s
marching show. Mattawan, Portage North-
ern, Byron Center, Vicksburg and Hastings
high schools are all expected to perform
Sunday.
Also performing at the West Michigan
Drum Bash are the Western Michigan Univer-
sity Bronco Drumline and the Grand Valley
State University Drumline. These university
drumlines will have sectionals with each high
school drumline to teach cadences and skills.
To conclude the event, a “Mass Drumline”
will be formed with all drumlines in atten-
dance. This Mass Drumline is expected to
consist of around 120 drummers.
The Hastings High School drumline isscheduled to perform at 1:25 p.m. Sunday,
with lunch to follow. University drumline
sectionals will take place at 2:30 p.m. Grand
Valley State University’s drumline will per-
form at 3:05 p.m. with Western Michigan
following at 3:30 p.m. The event is expected
to conclude around 4:45 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public.
Those interested in attending are welcome to
attend as long or as short as desired.
More information about the West Michi-
gan Drum Bash can be found by visiting
hastingsbands.com.Thursday, Sept. 22 – Movie Memories watches a 1953 film starring
Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan and Anne Francis, 5 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 23 – Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m.
Monday, Sept. 26 – Crafting Passions, 10:30 a.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 27 – mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 28 – Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m.; open com-
puter lab learning, 2 p.m.; acoustic jam session, 4 p.m.
The Hastings Public Library is celebrating Banned Books Month
and Library Card Month. During September, there will be displays,
activities and drawings throughout the library to celebrate. Patrons
with lost, worn, old or grungy cards can get a free replacement this
month.
More information about these and other events is available by calling
the library, 269-945-4263.HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY CALENDAR FOR SEPT. 22-
The celebration will be held in Hastings at
Dave and Terri Barry’s home,
1151 Welcome Rd., Hastings.
from 12noon-3pm on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.
A picnic lunch will be provided (BBQ pulled pork
sandwiches—we know that Cindi’s sandwich
would be just the coleslaw on a bun). Please
bring your own lawn chairs, laughter,
and stories. Memory Sharing at
1pm. We hope you can come
celebrate having Cindi in
your life!Celebration
of Life forCindi
LaDere
West Michigan area drumline members will perform and learn
valuable skills from their peers, clinicians and university drum-
line members Sunday. Here, Ashton Rasey plays the quads.
(Courtesy photo)Around 120 drummers are expected to perform together at the
conclusion of the West Michigan Drum Bash. (Courtesy photo)
“Steel Magnolias” explores the bond between six women in rural Louisiana.
The cast consists of (from left) Ellie Payne as Shelby, Pennie Westers as
M'lynn, Julie Coon as Clairee, Cindy Faubert Hayes as Truvy, Kassi Pineau as
Annelle and Vickie St. John as Ouiser. (Courtesy photo)
From left, Clairee (Julie Coon) and Ouiser
(Vickie St. John) listen to Annelle (Kassi Pineau)
as she shares her life story at Truvy's. (Courtesy
photo)