Monday afternoon, A.J. Veneklasen, Inc. along with Hastings Mayor David Tossava and other local and state representatives, broke ground on ‘Lofts @ 128’, a mixed-use development in the heart of historic downtown Hastings. The four-story, 24,000 sq. ft. building at 128 N Michigan Ave. aims to address the growing housing needs of an underserved part of the community.

‘Lofts @ 128’ will feature 21, one and two-bedroom market rate apartments, including many that are ADA compliant, as well as retail and office space on the first floor. The project provides great walkability to all the City of Hastings has to offer – shopping, dining, coffee, and great community events.  

Site work on the $4.9 million project officially began earlier this month. It’s expected to be completed by late Spring of 2022.

The Hastings Police Department is investigating a breaking and entering of Al & Pete's Sports Shop on South Jefferson Street in downtown Hastings early Friday morning.

Police Chief Dale Boulter told WBCH that officers arrived around 6am to find the front door of the business broken into. Police are continuing to gather evidence with preliminary information showing at least two or three vehicles in the area during the breaking and entering. The window on the front door was smashed out with a rock with two suspects entering the business and leaving approximately thirty seconds after making entry. Officers are working with the business owner to determine if guns or other items were taken. No further information at this time will be released.

A number of schools will be closed this week due to an increase of the virus and the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Thornapple Kellogg Middleville will be closed today November 22nd and Tuesday november 23rd. also Wednesday November 24 and Friday November 26th, As well as Thanksgiving Day.

17 year old Lane Rosland was shot and killed by a crossbow before he was buried in a grave behind a home where Patrick Gilmore the accused killer lived.

Michigan State Police Detectives discovered Rosland's body on October 14th near Hastings. Gilmore lived at his grandfather's home off North Broadway.

Rosland was last seen alive at Tyden Park in Hastings on September 11th two miles from where his body was found.

Gilmore is in the Barry County Jail and is scheduled for a probable cause hearing in  Barry County District Court on Wednesday November 24th.

State Rep. Julie Calley will hold her November office hours in Middleville and Hastings this week. The informal meetings will take place Wednesday, Nov. 17, at the following times and locations:

-From 10 to 11 a.m. at the Middleville Village Hall, 100 E. Main St. in Middleville

-From 1 to 2 p.m. in the commissioners chambers at the Barry Country Courthouse, 220 W. State St. in Hastings.  

No appointment is necessary to attend.

Calley is also planning a virtual option for community members who are unable to attend in person. Please email JulieCalley@house.mi.gov or call (517) 373-0842 to schedule a Zoom meeting.

Lakewood Public Schools is reporting that a female staff member allegedly engaged in innappropriate sexual conduct with a 16 year old boy at Lakewood High School.

Superintendent Steven Skalka says the incident took place during school away from the school property. The Michigan State Police have been working with district officials and the staff member in question is currently on paid administrative leave.

"Help for the Holidays", a program coordinated by Barry County Cares helps Barry County Residents in need at Christmas time. Sign-up for HELP FOR THE HOLIDAYS, is now through Nov. 24th. Barry County Cares connects individuals and families with churches, organizations, businesses and others who provide help such as food for a family, or toys for children.  Call Barry County Cares, 269-948-9555, Monday - Friday 9am to 1pm.  .

Michigan State Police have identified the human remains discovered in a deeply wooded area in Barry County's Orangeville Township on October 28th as 69 year old Bruce Newton. 

Newton was reported missing September 4th, about 11 days after he last seen alive. An investigation into the cause of death is continuing but police indicated there was no evidence of foul play.

The Barry County man's body was found by a resident while walking on his property off South Enzian Road, south of West Guernsey Lake Road.

The Barry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD) in partnership with the Michigan National Guard is offering Free Drive-Up Rapid COVID-19 antigen testing at the Hastings Office Location 330 W. Woodlawn Ave. on Mondays, Wednesday and Thursdays from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. There will be no testing on 11/11 (office closed for Veteran's Day) or 11/25 (office closed for Thanksgiving).
 

Due to significant demand, appointments are now STRONGLY encouraged and can be scheduled at www.barryeatonhealth.org/test. This will help to spread testing out throughout the day and limit wait times.

No insurance is necessary to be tested, all ages are able to be tested (minors under 18 years old should be accompanied by a parent/guardian), and there is no residency requirement. Results are provided in 15-30 minutes. Upon arrival, stay in the vehicle and a staff member will come to the vehicle.

BEDHD extends its gratitude to the Michigan National Guard who have helped administer 1,395 tests since testing events began at BEDHD on October 18, 2021.  Due increasing demand for testing in Barry County, BEDHD will be taking steps to spread out the patients seeking tests throughout the day.  While BEDHD is committed to keeping barriers to testing low, we will begin offering appointments as of WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10th.  We strongly urge people to make an appointment for their next test at www.barryeatonhealth.org/test.

The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a hit and run driver who struck and killed a bicyclist Sunday afternoon. Upon arrival at the scene, deputies determined that the suspect vehicle fled the scene of the crash and was last seen Eastbound on Gull Rd.  The suspect vehicle is described as a Yellow Dodge Charger with a black racing stripe.  The vehicle should have front end damage. The bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. 

UPDATE:  CHARLES LYNN MARKWELL age 73 was struck and killed by a motor vehicle which fled the scene after hitting him.  The vehicle has been recovered and this crash remains under investigation. 

Anyone with information, or or who may have witnessed this incident is asked to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office or Silent Observer. 

Ionia County sheriff’s deputies and medical first responders were dispatched to a single car fatal accident on Jordan Lake Rd near Henderson Thursday morning.

A 22-year-old woman from the Lake Odessa area was traveling south bound on Jordan Lake Road when her vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a ditch at a field entrance and began to roll multiple times. The female driver was ejected from the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman was alone and the  cause of her vehicle leaving the roadway is still under investigation. Her name has not yet been released pending notification of relatives.

Alcohol and speed were not believed to be a factor in the crash.

Assisting on scene was the Lake Odessa Fire Department, Reed and Hoppes Towing, Medical Examiner, Life Ambulance, Ionia County Victim's Advocates, and Ionia County Central Dispatch

William "Bill" Karpinski a long time Hastings Area School district teacher, football coach and Athletic Director has died.

Funeral arraignments are by the Adam's funeral home in Paw Paw.

Delton Kellogg School District will be closed Friday, Nov. 5th to allow staff and students to attend the funeral of Jenny Wandell, who taught Kindergarten for 35 years at DKS.  Panther Clubhouse will also be closed.

On Sunday, October 31st 2021 at 11:41am, Deputies with the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Ionia Department and Public Safety and Michigan State Police Lakeview Post were dispatched to an armed robbery and felonious assault that occurred at a convenience store in the 700 block of W. Lincoln Avenue in Easton Township.

Investigation at the scene and review of surveillance footage from the store showed that at approximately 11:39am, a man dressed in all black and carrying a katana sword walked to the store and attempted to use a rope to tie the door shut from the outside. The suspect was confronted by a clerk from within the store- a 56 year old man from Lyons, who opened the door to ask what was going on.

The suspect pulled his katana sword from a sheath and stabbed the clerk through the doorway. The clerk tried to flee back into the store and the suspect followed him and continued slashing and hacking at the clerk’s head and neck causing severe injuries to the clerk. The suspect further pushed the clerk behind the counter where he robbed the store of cigarettes and money from the cash register, before fleeing out the door on foot.
Sheriff’s Deputies and police officers located the suspect north of the store in a farm field off Haynor Rd. After a confrontation with police officers, the suspect surrendered after a short standoff and was taken into custody by officers on the scene.

The victim was transported by LIFE EMS with critical injuries to his face and head to Spectrum Health Butterworth where he is in serious but stable condition at this time.
The suspect, who was injured during incident, was treated at Sparrow Hospital Ionia and subsequently lodged at the Ionia County Jail on charges of Armed Robbery and Felonious Assault, with additional charge requests to be reviewed by the Ionia County Prosecutor. The suspect is a 36 year old Ionia man who will not be identified until his arraignment.

The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on this scene by the Ionia Department of Public Safety, Michigan State Police Lakeview Post, Ionia Central Dispatch, and LIFE EMS. Further information will be released after the suspect’s arraignment on Monday.