It’s a spring event as predictable as the return of the robins: volunteers will hit the roadsides across lower Michigan beginning Saturday as Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Adopt-A-Highway (AAH) groups pick up litter on state highways from April 5-13. 

 

The year’s first AAH pickup for the Upper Peninsula will be later (May 10-18) when spring has had more time to set in for the northern part of the state.

 

"Each year, our Adopt-A-Highway volunteers show their dedication to their communities by keeping the roadsides clean," said State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich. "These thousands of groups make a huge difference every year. Please help them stay safe while they’re out there. Stay alert for the volunteers and drive cautiously during the pickup periods."

 

The AAH program began in Michigan in 1990. Today, 35 years later, around 2,600 groups have adopted more than 6,000 miles of state highway. Last year alone, these volunteers collected 36,000 bags of trash.

 

Volunteers pick up litter three times each year. Statewide, there will be a summer pickup from July 12 to 20 and a fall pickup from Sept. 20 to 28.

 

AAH groups wear high-visibility, yellow-green safety vests required by federal regulations when working within a highway right of way. MDOT provides free vests and trash bags, and arranges to haul away the trash. Volunteers include members of various civic groups, businesses and families. Crew members have to be at least 12 years old, and each group must number at least three people.

 

Sections of highway are still available for adoption. Groups are asked to adopt a section for at least two years. AAH signs bearing a group's name are posted along the stretch of adopted highway. There is no fee to participate. Go to www.Michigan.gov/AdoptAHighway for more information.

At its' March 24th meeting the Hastings City Council accepted with regret the resignation of first ward council member William Nesbitt.

 

A replacement for Nesbitt will be appointed by Council by May 15th.  Public notice for the position will be posted the first week in April,  and letters of interest will be due by May 5th.  Interviews of candidates will be held May 12th followed by deliberation and appointment.

 

The new council member will take the oath of office to represent the first ward and will be seated at the May 22nd City Council meeting.

 

On Monday, March 24, 2025, at approximately 4:30 pm, a Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Deputy observed a vehicle towing a double-axle dump trailer enter the Menards parking lot on Gull Road in Comstock Township. The vehicle was displaying a stolen license plate belonging to a recently reported stolen vehicle. The Deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver. During the interaction, a dog inside the vehicle became aggressive, exited the vehicle, and attacked the Deputy, biting onto his uniform and vest. In response to the attack, the Deputy discharged his weapon, fatally striking the dog. The Deputy was not injured during the incident, and no other individuals at the scene were harmed. The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody and lodged at the Kalamazoo County Jail on unrelated warrants. Charges related to the possession of stolen property, the animal incident, and the driver’s suspended license will be submitted to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for review. This incident remains under investigation.

At its’ regular meeting Monday night, the Hastings City Council adopted an ordinance amending the Woodlawn Meadows Planned Unit Development. It will allow construction and development of 32 multi-family detached site condominiums as recommended by the Planning Commission.

 

The Council also adopted new purchasing procedures for the city,  approved an ordinance increasing the maximum driveway width at the property line from 20 to 24 feet, and updated the municipal street system to include portions of N. Jefferson, Jackson St., Hayes St. and Kelly avenue that were not previously on the official list.

 

The spring Girls Night Out event was approved for May 1^st in downtown Hastings.

A 144 unit affordable housing project in Middleville that will help attract talent to the area and fill a need for local employers and business advocates is about to get underway.  Family owned Dutch Developers LLC, run by brothers Nate, Eric & Josh Heyboer, will host a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday, March 27th for the $25 million dollar MidVilla Flats project.

The Prairieville Fire Department responded to a house fire just after 8am Saturday morning in the 14000 block of Burchette Road near Gilkey Road in Prairieville Township.  When they arrived at the scene firefighters entered the burning home and found an 80 year old man trapped inside. Lifesaving efforts were attempted but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other persons, a young woman and a child, were able to escape the blaze. 

 

No other injuries were reported. There was extensive damage to the house. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The name of the victim has not been released.

 

Prairieville Fire Department was assisted by Richland, Delton, Hickory Corners, and Orangeville Fire Departments. 

Speaker Pro Tem Rachelle Smit invites residents to attend her local office hours on Friday, March 21, from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Grove Street Café.

 

Smit’s office hours are an opportunity for constituents to speak directly with their representative and ask questions or share ideas.

 

Grove Street Café is located 370 N. Grove Street in Delton.

 

Rep. Smit represents the cities of Allegan, Fennville, Wayland, as well as the townships of Allegan, Bellevue, Fillmore, Manlius, Clyde, Overisel, Heath, Valley, Salem, Monterey, Dorr, Hopkins, Watson, Wayland, Martin, Barry, Yankee Springs, Orangeville, Hope, Prairieville, Johnstown, Assyria and part of Jamestown.

 

Rep. Smit also invites residents to contact her Lansing office at (517) 373-0615 or RachelleSmit@House.MI.gov. Mail can be addressed to her at N-892 Anderson House Office Building, P.O. Box 30014, Lansing, MI 48909.

Freeport Fire Dept. responded Tuesday morning to a home fire in the 2400 block of Woodschool Road.  Smoke and flames were seen coming from the home due to a Kitchen fire that spread quickly.  The resident reportedly exited safely and EMS treated & transported the resident to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

The 19th annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade was held Monday afternoon in Hastings and drew a happy crowd. Hundreds of enthusiastic participants joined in the parade, led by the American Legion Color Guard, and there was nothing but smiles to be seen along the parade route on South Jefferson, Center, and Church streets. 

 

WBCH Radio looks forward to sponsoring the parade each year and we thank all who wore their green and celebrated the coming of Spring! 

 

Thanks to the Hastings City Police and City staff for your help in making the parade run smoothly and keeping us safe!

The Michigan Career and Technical Institute at Pine Lake in southwestern Barry County hosted its winter/spring graduation ceremony Thursday, celebrating 105 students who successfully completed in-demand training programs and earned credentials that will help them access competitive, integrated employment opportunities.   The institute is the second-largest vocational rehabilitation training center in the country.  It promotes the integration of Michiganders with disabilities into both the competitive workplace and society. Students at MCTI’s Plainwell campus may enroll in one of 12 technical training programs including automotive technology, cabinet making/millwork, certified nurse assistant, commercial printing, culinary arts, custodial, grounds maintenance/landscaping, industrial electronics, information technology, machine technology, pharmacy technician and retail marketing.   Each training program is supported by an active advisory committee made up of people who work in that industry and help ensure the school’s curriculum and equipment meet business standards and needs. MCTI offers students health, psychological and social work services, sports and activities, housing, student government and much more.   MCTI is a division of Michigan Rehabilitation Services within the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.

The Hastings High School musical production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat  is underway with performances March 13, 14, 15 at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm. Limited seating is still available online at   Hastings.Ludus.com 

Meanwhile, The Friends of HPAC are thrilled to debut the installation of a state-of-the-art LED video wall at the Hastings Performing Arts Center! Spanning an impressive 31 Feet wide and 20 feet tall and weighing over 6,000 pounds, this cutting-edge display is now transforming productions with stunning visuals and dynamic backdrops.   HPAC is among the very first high schools in the nation to have this technology permanently installed, keeping the venue at the forefront of theatrical innovation.   Engineered for versatility, the video wall is rigged to travel up and down, seamlessly stowing away in the flyspace when not in use. This incredible addition to HPAC was made possible by the extreme generosity of the Baum Family.

  

Avelo Airlines announced today (Tuesday) it will start service at Grand Rapids’ Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) with nonstop routes to North Carolina’s Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Central Florida’s Lakeland International Airport (LAL).  Avelo is the only airline offering nonstop service between Grand Rapids and these two destinations. Fares on the low-cost airline will start at $59 one way.

 

Avelo will operate these routes twice weekly on Fridays and Mondays, utilizing Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft.

 

Service to Raleigh-Durham International Airport begins May 23, 2025, while service to Lakeland International begins June 13, 2025

 

Since taking flight on April 28, 2021, Avelo has flown more than 6.3 million Customers on over 50,000 flights. Today Avelo serves 56 cities spanning 23 states and Puerto Rico, as well as four international destinations.

 

Avelo offers an abundance of advanced seating options and several unbundled travel-enhancing options that give Customers the flexibility to pay only for what they value, including priority boarding, checked bags, carry-on overhead bags, and bringing a pet in the cabin. Families can travel with ease knowing every child 14 and under will be automatically seated with an accompanying adult at no additional cost.

The Barry County Board of Commissioners will meet this morning, Tuesday, March March 11, at 9:00 a.m.  As always the meetings are open to the public in the Commissioners room at the Barry County Court House.

 

After cancelling the Committee of the Whole meeting last week due to lack of a quorum,  today’s meeting has a very light agenda.

 

Main items of business will be considering revised job descriptions for various positions in the Public Defender, Prosectuor’s Office, and Trial Court.

 

Commissioners will also consider adoption of Resolution 25-08, Abolishing the Barry County Solid Waste Oversight Committee.

AAA is sending out a Michigan statewide SPRING FORWARD SAFETY ALERT urging drivers to use extra caution during this first week of Daylight Saving Time (DST).  Drowsy driving is a significant traffic safety issue. Michigan residents ‘springing forward’ need to adjust their sleep schedule to prevent drowsiness on the road.

 

“The time change impacts daylight hours and sleep patterns, raising the risk of drowsy driving, which can contribute to a dangerous crash,” said Adrienne Woodland, spokesperson, AAA-The Auto Club Group. “Even though it is only a one-hour difference, people may experience what feels like a mini-jetlag, which can take time to fully adjust to.”

 

Common symptoms of drowsy driving include:

• Trouble keeping eyes open
• Trouble keeping your head up
• Drifting from your lane
• Cannot recall last few miles driven
• Feeling restless or irritable
• Daydreaming or wandering thoughts

“It is also important to pay extra attention near schools, particularly in the mornings,” Woodland continued. “Moving clocks forward one-hour means it will stay dark later into the morning, when children will be on their way to school.”

 

A 20-year study that analyzed over 732,000 car crashes, found a 6% increase in fatal crashes during the week following the switch to Daylight Saving Time. 

On Friday, March 7, at 12:45pm, Ionia County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a mobile home community in the 7000 block of East Grand River Avenue of Portland Township on the report that a female had been shot in the head. Dispatch information indicated that a woman had called 911 reporting that she had been shot in the head by a man she lived with. After the shooting, the female and another occupant of the home left the residence and met with responding deputies and EMS at the main office of the mobile home community.

Upon arrival to the scene, the woman was found to have minor injuries to her head and face. She is a 32 year old Portland woman who is not being identified, nor is another adult witness in the home who was not injured. The victim was treated on scene by Portland EMS, but declined being transported to a hospital for further medical attention.

Ionia Sheriff’s Deputies along with Troopers from the Michigan State Police Lakeview Post and Officers from the Portland Police Department set a perimeter on the home and made announcements for the suspect to come out of the singlewide trailer. The suspect attempted to escape out the back of the trailer but was confronted by an Ionia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Deputy, who kept the suspect at gunpoint and verbal commands to stop, as a team of officers moved in and took the suspect into custody without injury.

Deputies obtained a Search Warrant for the residence and discovered firearms as well as methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in the home. Investigation at the scene indicated the female victim had been injured from fragmentation steming from a firearm being discharged in her direction but thankfully was not struck by any bullets.

The suspect, a 39 year old Portland man was arrested on several assault and firearms charges, with other charges pending review by the Ionia County Prosecutor’s Office.

The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in this case by MSP Lakeview Troopers, the Portland Police Department, Portland EMS, and Ionia County Central Dispatch.

The Hastings City Council will meet tonight, March 10^th, and will consider requests to approve the YMCA’s summer program at Fish Hatchery Park,   the Hastings Pride committee’s Pride 2025 event at Thornapple Plaza on June 28^th,  the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life at Tyden Park September 13 & 14, and the Kisscross Cyclocross bicycle racing event at Fish Hatchery Park on September 14.

 

Main items of business will be:

-to consider adoption of the 2025 Capital Improvement Plan as presented. That’s 144 pages  outlining capital projects and expenditures for the next 6 years.

 

- to accept the resignation of Ann Ulberg from the Downtown Development Authority Board and affirm the Mayor’s appointment of Scott Schultz to fill that position.

 

-to conduct the first reading of an ordinance amendment to revise the purchasing and contracting procedures for the City of Hastings.

 

-to conduct the first reading of an ordinance amendment recommended by the planning commission increasing the maximum driveway width in the city from 20 feet to 24 feet.

 

The meeting is at 7pm at Hastings City Hall and is open to the public.

Gun Lake Casino Resort (GLCR) is proud to announce their long-awaited expansion is now open. Beginning March 7, guests will be welcomed to a 16-story, 252-room hotel featuring 31 stunning suites.

 

This $300 million expansion includes the return of the reimagined Sandhill Café, a full-service spa, and a stylish new Lobby Bar as well as facilities for meetings, conventions, weddings, and private events for groups of all sizes.

 

The expansion project directly employed 1,160 construction workers, including plumbers, electricians, welders, ironworkers, heavy equipment operators, carpenters, painters, and general laborers.

 

Gun Lake Casino Resort will now employ 1,500 team members across a wide range of departments, including gaming, hospitality, food and beverage, security, and executive management.

 

The Wawyé (WAH-Yay) Oasis is scheduled to open in May 2025 with a stunning 32,000-square-foot glass atrium, offering a tropical paradise kept at a perfect 80 degrees year-round. This breathtaking venue will feature live palm trees, private cabanas, and lush tropical flora, a 21+ VIP Pool and a Family Pool.

 

Gun Lake Casino Resort is proudly owned by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi. It is located straight west of Hastings and Gun Lake, off Exit 61 on U.S. 131.

 

 

Time is running out for travelers who need an enhanced ID for domestic flights and federal facilities. The deadline to obtain a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card is fast approaching.

Beginning May 7, 2025, all travelers aged 18 years and older will be required to present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, identification card, or another acceptable form of ID such as a passport at TSA airport security checkpoints.  Standard driver’s licenses will no longer be accepted.

 

Enhanced IDs feature a star in the upper right corner and require additional documentation, such as proof of identity, Social Security number, and residency.

 

The Michigan Secretary of State’s Office is reporting an increase in applications, and officials warn that waiting until the last minute could mean long lines and processing delays.

 

To apply for an enhanced ID, individuals must visit a Secretary of State office with the required documents. Online renewals will not be available for first-time REAL ID applicants.

 

Don't forget to reset those clocks! Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9, for most of the United States and Canada.

Today's  (Tuesday's)  Committee of the Whole meeting is canceled due to lack of quorum. 

 

Barry County Administrator Eric Zuzga said all business will move to the March 11^th Board of Commissioners Meeting.