Falcons blow by Walkerville
Shelby advances, Hesperia bounced in pre-districts Page B1
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Two sections 22 pages
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Michigan presidential primary 5 days away Hart, Weare twp. road millages also on ballot
Just five days remain for Oceana County and Michigan voters to make up their minds as to who they would like see in the final running for president of United States. The Michigan Presidential Primary election is next Tuesday, March 8. Even though some of the Republican candidates have suspended their campaigns, the names of all the previously announced candidates will appear on the ballots as the ballots have already been printed. Republican candidates include:
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY continued on 6a
Springport nips Panthers in state quarterfinal thriller Page B1
Sheriff announces retirement
Nominating petitions trickling in
Mast, Strait file to be next Oceana County Sheriff
With Oceana County Sheriff Bob Farber announcing he will not seek a third term, two men have announced they will seek the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office in this year’s elections. Current road patrol Lt. Craig Mast of Hart and long-time Deputy Leroy (Roy) Strait of Montague have announced their candidacies to be the next Oceana County Sheriff. Both will run as Republicans, setting up a primary race in August. Mast also announced that Deputy Ryan Schiller will run with him for the undersheriff Farber Strait position currently held by Tim Priese. “I will not seek a third term for the office of Oceana County Sheriff,” Farber said. “I am so happy to say that I will retire at the end of my term, Dec. 31, 2016 after 36 years of a law enforcement career. I am looking forward to my new phase in my life at the end of 2016.” Mast and Schiller met with the Herald-Journal editorial staff Monday morning to make the formal announcement. “We believe this is the best working combination for the office and the county,” Mast said. “We compliment each other nicely, we believe, and would make a strong administrative team, etc.”
Nominating petitions for other county offices have also started to trickle in. Philip Carter of New Era, Allen Blohm of Shelby and Gary Tate of Hart have filed to run for the two vacancies on the Oceana County Road Commission. All three are running as Republicans, setting up a primary election showdown. Blohm is an incumbent whose term will expire at the end of this year. The other seat was previously held by Russ Eilers, who passed away last month. The
Andrew Skinner • Oceana’s Herald-Journal
Oceana County Sheriff’s Office Road Patrol Lt. Craig Mast, left, recently announced his intentions to run for sheriff this summer following the announcement that Sheriff Bob Farber plans to retire at the end of the year. Deputy Ryan Schiller, right, will run with Mast for the undersheriff position. New Era Police Chief and Sheriff’s Deputy Roy Strait also announced his plans to run for sheriff.
NOMINATING PETITIONS continued on 6a
Sun sets on February
Andrew Skinner • Oceana’s Herald-Journal
Ice hanging from rocks along the Pentwater Channel frames the south pier head marker as it melts Saturday evening, Feb. 27 following an unseasonably warm day. Oceana County saw the return of winter weather earlier this week but forecasters were predicting another warm-up to start off next week.
Hart woman treated after strangulation
Safety concerns prompt Shelby to cancel games at Muskegon Heights
By Andy Roberts
Herald-Journal Writer
“We
SHELBY — Safety concerns scuttled what was to be the regular-season finale for both Shelby basketball teams in the last week, as the Tiger teams did not make their scheduled trips south to Muskegon Heights. The Shelby girls had been Bauer scheduled to play at Heights Thursday, Feb. 25 while the Tiger boys were slated for a Tuesday night game, March 1. Heights was the site of a shooting back on Feb. 9 after the Muskegon Heights Tigers’ boys team had hosted Ottawa Hills, sparking concerned calls from Shelby parents. Shelby Public Schools Superintendent Dan Bauer — Dan Bauer said he fielded several calls Shelby Public Schools Superintendent in the week following the incident at Heights from parents concerned about safety issues regarding the scheduled games. The calls came in such volume that he felt there was no choice but to pull the Shelby teams from the games. “I had concerned parents contacting me on Thursday the 11th,” Bauer said. “I didn’t really put anything into it until probably the 15th, when I started talking with the A.D. (Chuck Persenaire)
had a parent saying, ‘If that game is scheduled, my kid will be home sick that day.’ I reached out to our coaches and they expressed concerns as well,”
GAMES CANCELLED DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS continued on 6a
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Former boyfriend faces charge
Andrew Skinner • Oceana’s Herald-Journal file photos
Vintage vehicles are parked along side of the Sackrider United Brethren Church, built in 1897, during a past Hart Heritage Day at the district. Below, a doe and buck mount are displayed in a humorous pose at the district’s Mudget Wildlife Fur & Mount Collection display.
Michigan bill could jeopardize local State Historic Districts By Anne Pawli OHJ
contributing Writer
Proposed legislation making its way through the Michigan House and Senate could jeopardize the standing of Hart’s State Historic District and Little Point Sable Lighthouse, near Silver Lake State Park. House Bill 5232, cosponsored by 100th District Rep. Jon Bumstead, was introduced Jan. 27
mittee. The House bill, and its companion, Senate Bill 720 pertain to local historic districts only, so will not impact Hart’s recently earned National Register of Historic Places designation for portions of its downtown district. The bills and referred to the Local could, however, impact the Government Committee. If STATE HISTORIC constituent response to the DISTRICTS onerous bill is any indicaJEOPARDIZED tion, it will die in that comcontinued on 6a
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A 22-year-old Hart woman was treated and released from Mercy Health Partners Lakeshore Campus in Shelby for non-life threatening injuries after she was allegedly strangled multiple times to the point of unconsciousness by her former boyfriend who now faces a felonious assault charge. Police arrested Wilson Jacob Allen Wilson, 27. The arrest complaint shows his address as 5215 W. Fox Rd., Mears. He is charged with one count of assualt by strangulation and habitual offender, third offense notice. He was arraigned in 78th District Court and bond was set at $50,000 cash surety. Wilson remained Oceana County Jail Monday. According to Oceana County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Craig Mast, the alleged incident occurred at 12:25 a.m. Feb. 27 in the 5500 block of West Cherry Court in Golden Township in the Golden Pond Estates subdivision. Mast said the woman of slight build went to her Wilson’s
STRANGULATION CHARGE continued on 6a
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• March 3, 2016 • Oceana’s Herald-Journal
Presidential primary
from Page 1a
Visitors, left, to the Hart Historic District take in the displays of the Mudget Wildlife Fur & Mount Collection. Below, the pavilion and grounds of the Hart Historic District are seen through a second story window of the district’s Schaner Feed Mill building. Andrew Skinner • Oceana’s Herald-Journal file photos
State Historic Districts Jeopardized
from Page 1a
Nominating petitions
from Page 1a
seat will remain vacant until the Oceana County Road Commission appoints a successor to finish out the rest of this year. Previously, incumbent Prosecutor Joe Bizon filed for reelection as a Republican. Gail Schulte also has filed as a Republican for the treasurer’s position. The filing deadline is April 19.
from Page 1a
approval to either approve or deny the historic district; move all grievances and appeals, as well as costs, out of the purview of the State Historic Preservation Review Board and squarely on the shoulders of local units of government; would no longer require local governments to follow US Secretary of the Interior’s standards and guidelines for rehabilitating historic buildings if the locally established historic commission decides a different set of standards “are in the best interest of the community,” according to the analysis. Further, it allows the elimination of historic districts without requiring input or approval from voters and requires the dissolution of all historic districts within the state 10 years after the legislation is passed, unless a renewal question is approved by voters. “It’s definitely a bill that favors developers grabbing prime real estate without having to fight local districts to do it,”
Strangulation charge from Page 1a residence to retrieve some personal belongings when she was allegedly assaulted in multiple ways. In addition to the alleged strangulation, Mast said the woman had bumps and bruises which were consistent with being punched and kicked. She was taken to the hospital for treatment and retreated to her parents’ home in Hart where she contacted police. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
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levy would be for three years. The previous levy expired in 2015. Hart Township’s levy is for five years and is estimated to generate $180,000 in the first year. Property owners with a $50,000 taxable value would pay $100 in the first year.
Games cancelled due to safety concerns
FORM
Hart Historic District established in 1984 which features an 1858 Native American log cabin, Cobmoosa House, Sackrider Church, Randall School, Wilde Blacksmith Shop, Schaner Feed Mill and other structures in the district. The legislation has caused great consternation among historic preservation circles, according to Ingrid Pearson, former manager of Hart Main Street. “It means if someone wanted to build a shopping center or put up housing units (within the district), they could challenge the local historic district and if they win, Hart would lose that historic district,” Pearson said. “The property would no longer be sacrosanct and all those protections people thought were in place would no longer be in place.” After closer inspection of the ramifications of the bill, even Bumstead no longer supports the legislation. “This is one of those bills I probably should have not cosponsored without looking into it,” he admitted. “It’s going to be bad for areas all over the state, especially Mackinac Island. Cities would lose local control.” Under the proposed changes, historic districts would be forced to close, or sunset, every 10 years unless residents or historic preservationists reapplied to maintain the district’s status. The bills impose other limitations which would make it considerably more difficult for districts to retain their protected status. “I do not get the logic,” said Pearson. “(Sponsors) say it gives control to local government but it does none of that. The bill is looking to districts to have to renew every 10 years, which means districts will be even more historic, but with many more restrictions.” According to a non-partisan legislative analysis, HB 5232 would require local units of government to obtain preliminary approval, via a written petition, from at least two-thirds of property owners within a district; specify required members of a historic district study committee and segments of the population they must represent; and require that any local ordinance establishing a historic district also be subject to approval by a majority of voters at the next regular election. The House Bill would also impose a one-year deadline following preliminary
Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, John R. Kasich, George Pataki, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum and Donald Trump. The Democratic candidates include: Hillary Clinton, Roque Rocky De Le Fuente, Martin J. O’Malley and Bernie Sanders. Two Oceana County townships will have road millage requests on the ballot. Both Hart Township and Weare Township seek 2 mill levies. Weare Township’s will be a renewal of 1.9704 mills with an additional .0296 mill request for a 2 mill total. The original 2 mill levy had been reduced to the 1.9704 levy under the state’s Headlee Amendment. The levy is estimated to generate $77,658 in the first year. Property owners with a $50,000 taxable value would pay $100 in the first year. The
said Pearson. “I really worry about the implications for the historic district that so many people worked to develop. The mill, church, museum building; these are really a slice of Hart’s heritage. To think that could be jeopardized by redevelopers is really chilling.” Bumstead said he doesn’t believe the bill will go anywhere. He reported that Rep. Lee Chatfield, chair of the committee where the bill landed and whose district includes Mackinac Island, is under pressure from his own constituents to sit on the bill. “You don’t really know the complete ramifications of some bills until you hear from constituents,” said Bumstead. “That’s what the committee process is all about. It provides a chance to learn about the impact of legislation. From what I’m hearing from local constituents, it wouldn’t be a bill I would support on the floor of the House.”
about what parents were saying. There were an increasing number of parents that didn’t want their kids going to Muskegon Heights. “We had a parent saying, ‘If that game is scheduled, my kid will be home sick that day.’ I reached out to our coaches and they expressed concerns as well.” The decision was made Feb. 18 that Shelby would not go to Muskegon Heights, and Bauer said it was announced the following day when the Tiger boys faced Hart. Because Heights was on break at the time, they were not able to react to the decision until the following week. Bauer said Shelby offered to host both games in response to the safety concerns, but those requests were denied, likely because both games were also slated to be the final home games for Muskegon Heights. “We offered to give them the gate receipts, pay for transportation, pay for their officials, plus mileage, and to feed their kids as well,” Bauer said. “Then I had a conversation with their superintendent on the 22nd, and they seemed pretty firm that they wanted to keep the games there. What I told her was, with these concerns, I couldn’t field a team, and this was the only option we could come up with.” Heights instead decided to schedule Kalamazoo Lakeside Academy, a charter school, for the boys basketball season finale. That game was to be played Wednesday, March 2. “These things happen and it’s unfortunate,” Bauer said. “It boils down to, you’ve got to keep kids safe. If the parents don’t think their kids are safe, there’s nothing I can do when it’s not my venue.” Persenaire’s efforts to replace the boys’ game on short notice had not panned out as of press time Tuesday. “It’s not looking really promising,” Persenaire said. “With the girls playing districts Monday, Wednesday and Friday, that only leaves Tuesday or Thursday. I’ve reached out to schools, but they all are either not available on that day or have a full schedule.” The Shelby and Muskegon Heights boy’s had played exciting games each of the last two seasons, with Shelby winning in four overtimes at Heights in 2014 and Heights getting revenge last March by dealing Shelby its only regular-season loss.
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