License fees to increase for sterilized dogs
Warrant issued in rollover crash Page 3a
Page 3a
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Walkerville races to win county meet
Hart girls show off depth to take title Page B1
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Pirates scrape past Oakridge, into district semis Page B1
Sheriff’s deputy continues to recover following collapse
Oceana County Sheriff’s Of- one minute of being on scene, fice Deputy Roy Strait contin- Strait collapsed. Herremans ues to recover at a Muskegon immediately called for assishospital from a hearttance, Priese said, related episode sufand began performfered while on duty ing cardiopulmoearly last Thursday, nary resuscitation on Oct. 13. Strait and continued Oceana County until Deputy Mike Undersheriff Tim Fillips arrived and Priese said Strait took over. The Shelwas responding to by-Benona Fire Dea truancy complaint partment and Oceana in Shelby, and after Emergency Medical Strait getting the individual Services also arrived dressed, the indiand continued CPR. vidual ran at which point Strait Strait was transported to called for back-up. Priese said sheriff’s office Sgt. Louis HerSTRAIT RECOVERING continued on 3a remans arrived and after about
Monton to step down from bench next February Gov. Snyder to appoint successor to fill remaining 2 years of term
Andrew Skinner • Oceana’s Herald-Journal
Dr. Heather Headland pets Princess Buttercup, one of the many donkeys she and her husband, Chris, have saved as Moon Pie, also a rescued donkey, looks on at the Headland’s Ferry Township home.
A retirement home for donkeys
Veterinarian Dr. Heather Headland is on a mission to rescue this often misunderstood and abused breed
Andrew Skinner • Oceana’s Herald-Journal
Dr. Heather Headland gives a big hug to 5 month old Sprinkles. Unbeknownst to the Headlands Sprinkles mother, Sugar, was pregnant at the time they rescued her.
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By Mary Beth Crain
MONTON TO RETIRE
OHJ Contributing Writer
If you ever pay a visit to Dr. Heather Headland’s 35-acre home, you’d better be ready to mix and mingle with a real live menagerie. Dogs, cats, goats, alpacas, pigs, horses and… donkeys. Dr. Heather, whom many may know from her Shelby practice, Companion Animal Veterinary, naturally loves all of God’s creatures. But she’s always had a special place in her heart for donkeys. “I’ve loved them from the time I was a little girl,” the energetic young veterinarian reflects. “But because I grew up in a suburb of Detroit, and not on a farm, I had to wait until I was in veterinary school before I got my first one. We were castrating donkeys—there were six of us students that day—and one of them, Dozer, took a fancy to me. “We all played with the donkeys, and would leave them for a while and come back, and when I was out of the room, they told me that when I left, Dozer never took his eyes off the door. I found that hard to believe because he had everyone fussing over him, but it was true. The door had a window, and when I looked in, he was standing there watching the door. And when I came back into the room, he ran over to me and brayed right in my face. I knew then that we were meant for each other.” Heather was already boarding two horses, but as her life philosophy seems to be, “there’s always room for one more,” that didn’t deter her from adopting Dozer, who came from Crossroads Donkey Rescue in Clare, Mich. And that was the moment she became dedicated to the donkey rescue cause. “Donkeys are victims of overbreeding,” she explains. “There’s a donkey craze at the moment. Everyone wants a baby donkey. People think it’s cute to get one, but they don’t think about the long term aspects of owning it. There’s a lot of care and expense involved, because donkeys live a long time. So they’re often abandoned, or sold at auction, for meat.” Meat? “Yes. Zoos use them for meat, or they’re shipped to Mexico with USDA tags.” In 2009, after she graduated veterinary school in Lansing, Heather and her husband Chris moved to Oceana County with Dozer and their horses and bought the
continued on 3a
Monton
Road commission hires new manager
A new face can be seen walking the garage and corridors at the Oceana County Road Commission. Mark Timmer of Muskegon began his tenure as the new manager at the beginning of October. Clerk Sandy Griffin has been the acting clerk/manager for the past five years. With the hire of Timmer, Griffin resumes her duties, serving only as the clerk.
TIMMER HIRED AS OCRC MANAGER continued on 3a
Timmer
Write-in deadline for Nov. 8 election nears
With the November general election just over two weeks away, Oceana County potential politicians are reminded of several important dates. Friday, Oct. 28 will mark the last day write-in candidates can register with the county clerk if they are interested in running a write-in campaign. The deadline will be at 4 p.m. Early voters can also get absentee ballots from their local clerk’s office, but absentee ballots will not be available at the county clerk’s office. The general election is Nov. 8.
Don’t miss the Oceana’s Herald-Journal primary election preview section Thursday, Oct. 27 Local election guide to include biographies and questionnaires from candidates taking part in contested races during the Nov. 8 general election.
DR. HEATHER TO THE RESCUE
INDEX Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8a Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9b Court, Cops, Gov’t . . . . . . . 5b Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . 10a Outdoor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4b
After 28 years on the bench, 27th Circuit Court Chief Judge Anthony Monton announced his retirement last week. Monton told the Oceana County Board of Commissioners at its regular meeting Oct. 13 that he planned to step down at the end of next February. There will be two years remaining on the six-year term. In addition to his 28 years on the bench,
School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11a Social . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9a Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-3 Stuff to do . . . . . . . . . . . . 6a Viewpoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4a
continued on 7a
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Dr. Heather to the rescue sprawling property they knew would be home to any stray animal that found them. “It was always my dream to have a retirement sanctuary for old horses and dogs,” she says. “After we got Dozer, I knew we’d also be filling it with donkeys.” Sadly, Dozer has passed on. But the Headland brood currently tops out at somewhere around 40 furry and feathery children. With her busy practice, it’s hard to imagine where “mom” finds the time to feed and care for all of them. “It’s a lot of work,” Heather admits, with a laugh and a shrug. She’s not kidding. Ten donkeys, a number of horses, two fainting goats, two alpacas, a pig, some chickens, five dogs, seven cats and more definitely make life interesting. No sooner do you find your way up the bumpy dirt driveway off 132nd Avenue than you’re met by Boone, a boisterous black and white Springer Spaniel who’s appointed himself the official greeter, sticking his head into your car with a happy grin and dancing around as you get out, anxious to introduce you to everyone. Barking excitedly, Boone leads the way to the house, which you get to by entering the fenced in area he shares with four other dogs, all of whom prance noisily about, vying for your attention. The Headland home is small, but then, its owners aren’t the first priority. “We don’t live extravagantly, but we’ve got all we need,” Heather maintains. The luxury of space is reserved for the animals, who are sheltered in various pens and can also gambol about in the lush fields and rolling hills. Heather, Chris and Boone lead the grand tour, past the dogs and over to Rocky and Sparky, the fainting goats. They got their name, explains Heather, from a unique trait: when they’re startled, the goats’ muscles freeze up, causing them to collapse stiff as a board. Farther on down is a large sheltered area that’s home to the two alpacas, Jacob and Lucas, who stare with interest at the visitors. They look just like llamas, but, notes Heather, are smaller. At the moment, they’re being entertained by Red the hen, who wanders around their pen, while, in the adjoining stall, Pumba, a big black pig, loudly snorts for attention. “Pumba was running loose in Scottville for three months,”
Happy Birthday
Hannah Riggs
from Page 1a
October 25th
Public Notice
Copies of the Official minutes of the Oceana County Board of Commissioners’ meeting are available at the County Clerk’s office.
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Andrew Skinner • Oceana’s Herald-Journal
Chris Headland, top, is trailed by Sprinkles, a baby Donkey, as he walks the pasture. Dr. Heather Headland greets Flower and Eeyore.
says Heather. “He was skin and bones. Fortunately, he got tamed by a piece of birthday cake. He’s also fond of chicken quesadillas.” On to the donkeys, who graze outside. There’s the newest arrival, Sprinkles, who was born in May; her mom Jasmine, who came to Heather pregnant with pneumonia; and Aunt Cookie, named because “she’s a cookie monster!” As young as she is, Sprinkles is already in love—with Boone. “They kiss passionately,” laughs Heather. Another donkey, Benny, affectionately known as their “little burrito” because of his small size, came to the Headlands when his owners could no longer care for him. A new arrival, Smokers the mule, is so shy and nervous she can’t be touched yet. “It often takes a while for them to get used to us,” Heather says. “So many are victims of neglect and have had to endure horrendous living conditions. Kill buyers scrounge around the country, picking up donkeys and advertising them on Craig’s list. All of our girls, for instance, had USDA tags and were going to be shipped to Mexico. We bought them at a higher price than the going price of meat per pound.” Sometimes donkeys just show up on the property, she notes. Sometimes she’ll get a call about a donkey in distress. Primarily, however, she’ll res-
cue donkeys around the country. “We made a trip to Oklahoma and three trips to Texas this year. We got a Palomino horse as well as some donkeys. It costs a lot of money to pay a transporter, so I transported three mini donkeys for Turning Point, the other donkey rescue in Michigan.” Obviously, saving donkeys isn’t cheap. “It costs a lot,” emphasizes Heather. “Most of the donkeys bought from kill buyers cost anywhere from $175 to $600. Then you have to pay the vet in whatever state you buy them to get a health certificate and blood tests. There’s the transporter fee—$75 to $100—to pick up your donkey, and $20 per day boarding costs. Then there’s hoof trimming, and vaccines, plus other medical costs because most of these animals are sick with respiratory diseases.” For a vet, or anyone with a loving heart, the plight of these innocent animals is incredibly painful to witness. But the good part, says Heather, is watching them blossom with good medical care and love. “Most people think donkeys are simply stubborn and not very bright,” she observes. “But actually they have very sweet, calm personalities. They have such a gentle, quiet, goofy presence about them—they just melt my heart.” And they’re smart. So smart,
in fact, that they can’t be forced into anything. “You can’t lose your temper with a donkey,” warns Heather. “You can with a horse. But a donkey never forgets. You have to respect them and be gentle with them. Once you gain their trust, they’ll do anything you ask.” For those who are thinking about getting a donkey, Heather has some firm advice. “First of all, I’m not for breeding them. If you really want a donkey and will be a responsible owner, you can go to Crossroads in Clare, Mich. or Turning Point in Danville, Mich. Every donkey we have here we plan to keep for life. If people want one of mine, I tell them, ‘My 10 are 10 saved. If you adopt another, that’s 11.”
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of public hearing on increasing property taxes
The Township Board of Claybanks Township will hold a public hearing on a proposed increase of .0057 mills in the operating tax millage raTe to be levied on property in 2016.
If adopted, the proposed additional millage will increase operating revenues from ad valorem property taxes 0.30% over such revenues generated by levies permitted without holding a hearing. If the proposed additional millage rate is not approved, the operating revenue will increase by 0.29% over the preceding year’s operating revenue. The taxing unit publishing this notice, and identified below, has complete authority to establish the number of mills to be levied from within its authorized millage rate. This notice is published by Claybanks Township, c/o 9033 S. 48th Avenue, Montague, MI 49437, (231) 8937715.
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The player without a team
Leona Perigard shares her remarkable resolution of hope Page 3a
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Hart’s Brett Bonstell weighing options after Pirates cancel 2015 varsity football season Page B1
Connie VanDerZanden of Hart
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Linda Squires of Whitehall
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Judy Porter of Silver Lake
“ To eat better,”
“To be younger,”
Collette Perigard of Montague
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Kendra Walsworth of Hart
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“Exercise more and lose weight,”
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“To be debt free by the end of the year,”
Ruthann Eilers of New Era
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Suspects ID’d in Hart High School break-in
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INDEX
Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8a Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . 5--7b Court, .Cops, .Gov’t . . . . . . . . 7a Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10a Outdoor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2a
Social . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9a Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-3 Stuff .to .do . . . . . . . . . . . . 11a Viewpoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4a
Jan Lathers of Mears
Anita Williams of Hart
“I want everyone to be happy and healthy,”
Genevieve Schiller of Claybanks
“Continue my
volunteer work with Harbor Hospice,”
Lynn Bromley of Walkerville
“Spread the word of Jesus,”
Judy Fessenden of Ferry
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