It been an unusual year thus far when it come to weather in Hastings.

Like Grand Rapids the Hastings National Weather Service Climatological station recorded one of the wettest periods on record from January 1st through April. from the end of April to the first four days of June it has been one of the driest periods on record.

In May only 1.07 inches of rain for the entire month.

There could be some light rain come this Saturday, beyond that it's a big question mark.

 The Hot weather in the upper 80's and low 90's has produced very dry conditions. There is a state wide ban on burning.

This Sunday will be a motorcycle poker run in Memory of Brad Heath and all funds raised will be used to start the Brad Heath Memorial Scholorship. Brad's daughters Noelle & Kelsey Heath came to the WBCH studios to let the listeners know all about Sunday's events. Click link below to listen.

The regularly scheduled Committee of the Whole meeting of the Barry County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, June 6, has been canceled due to a lack of agenda items.

The next meeting of the Board of Commissioners will be held on June 13, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.

Just before 11am Thursday members of the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a personal injury accident on East D Ave in Richland Twp. When officers arrived on scene, it was determined that a passenger vehicle traveling eastbound on East D Ave rearended a semitruck and trailer that was stopped on the roadway making a delivery. The driver of the car was extricated from the vehicle by the Richland Fire Department and transported to a Kalamazoo area Hospital in serious condition.

No other individuals were hurt due to this accident. Speed and Alcohol are not believed to be factors in this accident. This incident is still under investigation by the Kalamazoo County Sheriffs Office. 

The National Weather Service calls for hot and dry conditions in lower Michigan to continue through at least the weekend.

According to the Department of Natural Resources, fire danger in Michigan remains extreme in much of the state. Officials are urging residents not do any outdoor burning at this time.

The Barry County Burn Permits site says open burning is prohibited in Barry County until further notice. Camp and cooking fires are still allowed but should never be left unattended.

Bishop Elect Edward Lohse 61, currently the Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania, was name by Pope Francis as the new Bishop for the Diocese of Kalamazoo. 

At a Tuesday news conference Bishop Elect Lohse said, "I promise of give my all. Moments and grace and challence...I do not think I have all the answers, but let's seek the answers together."

Ordination of the new Bishop has been scheduled for 2-pm on July 25 at St.  Augustine Cathedral in Kalamazoo.

The Diocese of Kalamazoo is made up of nine counties of Allegan, Barry, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch.

As required by church law Bishop Bradley, submitted his resignation to the Holy Father Pope Francis when he turned 75 on October 18, 2020.

Barry County Christian School of Hastings will offer a third partnership with Kilpatrick Church, 10005 E. Barnum Rd., Woodland, to expand beyond the Hastings and Middleville areas.  Barry County Christian School operates as a Classical Christian, private, state recognized school, that is celebrating its 50th year in operation in Barry County.  Barry County Christian School's Kilpatrick campus will offer K thru fifth grades.  For tuition and registration information contact Hastings Barry County Christian School. 

A man was seriously hurt sunday morning in a boating accident on Pine Lake in Barry Countys' Prairieville Township.

According to the Prairieville Fire and rescue two boats collided on the lake knocking one man off his boat.

The man, who was steering his sailboat was seriously injured and sent to the hospital. The boating accident remains under investigation.

The Hastings City Council met Monday night.

Mayor Tossava declared May 19 and 20 as Poppy Drive Days in Hastings and presented Darlene Hopkins of the American Legion Auxiliary with an official proclamation.

Council approved the request from Lawrence J Bauer American Legion Post 45 to hold the annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 29, stepping off at 9:30 AM.

The City Manager was authorized to file a claim for a grant payment for the Protecting Michigan Pension Grant Program. Hastings’ pension fund has been underfunded for many years, and is currently about 46% funded. If the grant is received from the state, it would bring the pension funding to 60%.

Council adopted new stormwater standards for the city to update best practices and set public hearings on May 22^nd for the downtown parking assessment district and to receive comment on proposed drinking water system improvements.

The appointment of Rick Krouse as interim Hastings Fire Chief was unanimously approved.

Update:  The deceased driver has been identified as John Lewis Fisk, 41 years old, from Hastings MI.

The Barry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal traffic crash, involving two vehicles, which occurred Monday morning on M-37 Highway near Rork Road in Rutland Twp.

Sgt. Scott Ware said a Chevrolet Malibu driven by a 41 year old Hastings man and a Jeep Wrangler driven by a 48 year old Middleville woman were both traveling north on M-37 when the driver of the Chevrolet pulled on to the shoulder and attempted to make a U-Turn near Rork Road. The Chevrolet pulled into the path of the Jeep. The Jeep struck the Chevrolet on the driver’s side, sending both vehicles into the ditch. 

The male driver was found unresponsive. Despite lifesaving efforts he was pronounced dead at the scene. The Middleville female was treated for non-life threating injuries at an area hospital.

The crash remains under investigation.

ASSISTING AGENCIES:

Michigan DNR, Michigan State Police, Mercy EMS, Thornapple Township EMS, Hastings Fire Department, Barry County Central Dispatch, Goldsworthy’s Towing, MDOT.

INVESTIGATORS: 

Deputy JT Cooper and Sergeant Scott Ware

Voters in Woodland voted on a pair of requests for a Special Project Millage and an Operations Renewal...  both passed by the same margin: 51 YES  to 2 NO.

Voters in the Caledonia School District passed a 61-million dollar millage request by just 75 votes.

Wayland School District voters passed a Bond Proposal by a 58 to 42-percent margin.

Hastings DPS Crews have completed spring cleanup!

The investigation of the alleged school threat against Hastings Area Schools had been ongoing since Thursday evening and was concluded Saturday evening.

Hastings Chief of Police Dale Boulter said during the investigation, officers interviewed over 50 people about the alleged threats while working closely with school administration. During this process, the department was able to locate where the original conversation and comments took place along with the original post to social media. It was also determined that the implied threat of a school shooting was found to not be a valid depiction of the conversation.

Chief Boulter said "While I cannot divulge the final outcome of the investigation, nor release names, I can say with confidence that there is no threat to the Hastings School District related to reports we received on Thursday. The final report will be submitted to the Barry County Prosecutor on Monday for review."

"Each person in the Hastings School District, the Hastings Police Department and the Hastings School Administration takes each matter of school safety very seriously. This incident caused many disruptions throughout the school district, affected the community and spread the fear of becoming another statistic. The fear generated by these types of incidents is expected due to current events across the nation and here in our own state."

"The safety of each school district depends on students, parents and community members using the correct channels of communication when reporting any type of active violence information. I do not want to discourage anyone from speaking up if they are in fear, or suspect information they’ve received may signify any type of school violence. In such situations, I encourage people to use the proper channels to deliver the information as quickly as possible to law enforcement or school administration. The sooner law enforcement or school staff receives the information, the safer students, staff and community members will be."

Hastings City Chief of Police issued the following news release Friday afternoon:

"On Thursday 4/27/23, the Hastings Police Department was notified of a statement allegedly made by a current High School student implying a potential threat of harm to the school. We have since investigated several social media posts indicating an implied shooting threat by this student. Officers are investigating a chain of social media posts that have led to several individuals with potential information. We have received several tips from the public as well; each tip is being investigated to the fullest potential to ensure all leads are addressed."

While working closely with school officials, the decision was made to close schools while officers continue investigating this complaint. The investigation will continue until our overall risk assessment indicates it is safe to return to school.

The Hastings Police Department will continue to coordinate with Hastings Schools, the Barry County Prosecutor's Office, and other agencies as needed.

No further information is available for release at this time. An update will be provided when available."

Thornapple Arts Council Jazz Fest UPDATE: Due to a threat against Hastings Schools, today's (Fri). Jazz Fest performances are cancelled.

Tonights Aubrey Logan concert at 7:30pm has been moved to the First Presbyterian Church, 405 M-37 Hwy. Hastings. Everyone who purchased tickets for this concert will be contacted. 

Saturday's Jazz Festival performances are scheduled to go on as planned.  Please contact the Thornapple Arts Council with any  questions.  269-945-2002.

In a post late Thursday night, Hastings Superintendent Matt Goebel said "Hastings Area School System, including the CERC and Daycare, will be closed Friday, April 28, 2023. Administration learned of an unconfirmed threat earlier this evening and have been collaborating with law enforcement to determine its credibility. Out of an abundance of caution and to allow law enforcement time to complete their investigation we determined that taking this course of action was in the best interest of students and staff."

Due to this threat, TAC Jazz Fest performances are cancelled.  A decision about tonight's Aubrey Logan concert at the Performing Arts Center is forthcoming.

http://thornapplearts.org

Starting this week, some Barry & Eaton County residents will be receiving phone calls asking them to participate in a Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey.

The BRFSS is the nation’s largest health-related telephone survey (landline or cell phone) and is conducted locally every three years. The survey is used to track the health of the population in Barry and Eaton counties, as well as create and evaluate programs to support health and prevent disease. Advantage Research is conducting the survey on behalf of the Barry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD).

The survey collects data on the prevalence of various behaviors, health conditions, and preventive healthcare practices. The survey questions are based on questions developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). BEDHD partners with the Ingham County Health Department (ICHD) and Mid-Michigan District Health Department (MMDHD) to tailor the questions and wording to the specific needs of the population in Barry and Eaton Counties and the surrounding areas.

The BRFSS is an anonymous survey of randomly chosen residents aged 18 and older living in Barry or Eaton County. The information collected in the survey cannot be linked back to the participants. The data received will be analyzed by race, ethnicity, gender, education, income, location, etc., and used for the Community Health Needs Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans completed in Barry and Eaton counties.

The intersection of S. Park St. and W. Grand St. is being converted to a 4-way stop starting Thursday, April 27.  Hastings DPS crews will install the new stop signs at approximately 9:30 AM.  The change will affect traffic on S. Park St. requiring traffic to stop at W. Grand.

Increased safety of students crossing at the intersection near the Middle School and Central Elementary was the deciding factor in the change. Notification signs will also be placed prior to the stop signs to increase awareness of the new traffic control devices.

The Hastings Police Department along with Hastings Schools will be monitoring the intersection during morning and afternoon student crossing times. Motorists are reminded to always drive with caution in this and any other school area.

Corewell Health^TM has appointed Alejandro Quiroga, M.D., MBA, as president, Corewell Health West, effective May 1, 2023. Quiroga succeeds Darryl Elmouchi, M.D., MBA, who was appointed as chief operating officer of Corewell Health.

As president, Quiroga will lead strategy, operations, clinical oversight and financial performance for 11 hospitals, 120 outpatient locations, telehealth, a large continuing and home care enterprise, and a medical group with 2,000+ provider members in West Michigan. He also will serve as a member of the system leadership team at Corewell Health.

“Ale has been bold and instrumental in helping us reimagine what is possible in health care. His demonstrated history of innovation and solving complex problems will help us better serve our patients in West Michigan and beyond,” said Darryl Elmouchi, M.D., MBA, chief operating officer, Corewell Health.

As a catalyst for health care transformation, Quiroga has directed department and divisional overhauls that improve health. In his most recent position as chief medical officer and head of ambulatory care and population health programs for Corewell Health in West Michigan, he led cross-functional teams in building the population health infrastructure with a value-based care approach, and redesigning its behavioral health, primary care and care management service delivery models. These efforts increased access to care, improved patient outcomes and reduced the overall total cost of care.

“I am as passionate about helping our teams perform at their best as I am focused on reducing the burden of disease for the people we serve. In this new role, I look forward to helping Corewell Health achieve its mission of improving health, instilling humanity and inspiring hope,” said Quiroga.

Born in Medellin, Colombia, Quiroga’s love of learning and of medicine led him to earn his medical degree from Universidad del Rosario – Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario. He then moved to the United States, completing his residency at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, and his fellowship in pediatric nephrology at Montefiore Children’s Hospital in New York. He earned his executive MBA at Grand Valley State University in Michigan.

After arriving at Spectrum Health in 2011 as a pediatric nephrologist, he quickly ascended as a physician leader. He held several leadership positions at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital including division chief of pediatric specialties and associate program director for the pediatric residency program. He also served as vice president of medical affairs for Spectrum Health Medical Group and as senior vice president of population health before moving into the CMO role of ambulatory care for Corewell Health in West Michigan that preceded his new appointment.

Two time Indianapolis 500 winner Gordon Johncock was honered Monday in a special celebration on the 50th Anniversary of his first Indianapolis 500 win in 1973.

The Borg-Warner Corporation that presents their world famous trophy to the winner of the Indy 500 hosted the event attended by family and friends from all across the U.S.

Gordie was presented with a smaller version of the famous trophy during the celebration.

Johncock was born and raised in Hastings where he started his racing career at the old Hastings Speedway.

During his career he raced sprint, modified and super modified cars before he started racing the indianapolis cars winning two Indianapolis 500's in 1973 and 1982. Overall he won 25 indy car races. He also raced in the Daytona 500.

Johncock is a former National Driving Champion, has been inducted into the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame, The Indianapolis 500 Hall of Fame and the Michigan Sports and Motor Sports Hall of Fame.

The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office, Saranac Fire, and Clarksville fire responded to a Personal Injury accident at 3pm on April 19^th involvolving a pick-up truck versus a tree.

Deputies to believe the vehicle was traveling south bound on Conklin Rd. at Peck Lake Rd. when the 17-year-old driver lost control of his truckvehicle causing him to crash head on with a tree.

The young driver was not identified. Deputies said there is no evidence of alcohol or drugs involved.

The victim was transported to a nearby hospital by Life ambulance to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Assisting on the scene was Ionia County Sheriff’s Office, Saranac Fire, Clarksville Fire, and Reed and Hoppes.

Hastings/BIRCH Fire Chief Roger Caris passed away Wednesday morning, April 19^th after suffering a cardiac arrest. Roger served on the Hastings Fire Department for 49 years becoming the Chief in 1981. He loved his family, serving the community and training firefighters across the State.

Mayor Dave Tossava states, “It is a very sad day in the City of Hastings. Roger Caris was an exceptional person, a dedicated firefighter, the type of person that always put his community and its citizens first. I have had the pleasure of working with Roger throughout his career with the City. I would stop at the Fire station and talk to Roger hours at a time. I will miss our conversations, I considered Roger an advisor and a great friend.”

Roger not only served our local community. He was responsible for the many firefighters to take the state written and practical test for over 15 years as the Region Training Coordinator for the Bureau of Fire Service.

Funeral Arrangements are by the Girrbach Funeral Home of Hastings.  Visitation for Roger S. Caris, Sr. will be held Sunday from 2-4pm at the Barry Expo Center and Monday from 12:00 to 1:00pm.  Funeral Service will be Held Monday at 1:00pm at the Barry Expo Center with Interment at Riverside Cemetery at 2:30pm

Nearly two hours of limited public comment dominated the Barry County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday.  A large number of county citizens spoke on Second Amendment Gun Rights and a proposed resolution by the Barry County Republican Party calling for Barry County to be designated as a Second Amendment Sanctuary County.

Most of the commentors urged Commissioners to support that resolution and to put it on their meeting agenda for discussion and passage.  A few commentors were opposed. Several spoke on responsibility of elected officials to uphold and defend the Constitution as sworn in their oath of office and reminded the Republican commissioners that they were elected on the parties’ platform. 

Approximately 53 Michigan counties have passed some sort of resolution to date stating they either are a Second Amendment Sanctuary County or stating they respect constitutional rights. The local resolutions are not legally binding, but advocates say they are important. It is not known whether sheriffs in sanctuary counties will or will not enforce the new red flag laws and other gun reform regulations enacted by the state.

In an annual rite of spring, volunteers will fan out across lower Michigan to give state highway roadsides their first cleaning, beginning Saturday as groups in the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Adopt-A-Highway (AAH) program pick up litter from April 22-30.   The first pickup for the Upper Peninsula will start May 6.

The Adopt-A-Highway program began in Michigan in 1990. Today, around 2,900 groups have adopted more than 6,000 miles of state highway. In a typical year, these volunteers collect 60,000 to 70,000 bags of trash annually, an estimated $5 million value for the state.

Volunteers pick up litter three times each year. Statewide, there will be a summer pickup from July 15 to 23 and a fall pickup from Sept. 23 to Oct. 1.

Adopt-A-Highway 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. 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.

With the current Fire Danger rated as Very High, open burning is currently prohibited in Barry County.  Cook/Camp fires are allowed but must be closely monitored.

Warm, dry air and gusty winds are resulting in a higher chance of fires quickly spreading out of control.