BARRY COUNTY

Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf claims he's under investigation for investigating unfounded claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

The man the physically caught Abraham Lincoln’s assassin founded Nashville, Michigan.

KENT COUNTY, MI – A 66-year-old Wyoming man, who was reported missing in December 2021, was found dead over the weekend. Darriol Stephens was located Sunday, April 3, near the intersection of Finkbeiner Road and Ravine Drive in Barry County, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety reported Monday, April 4. Related: Police seek help finding missing, endangered manPolice said there were no obvious indications of foul play or self harm. The Barry County Sheriff’s Office was called to the scene and worked with Wyoming investigators to identify Stephens. Read more on MLive:1 dead in 3-vehicle crash at Michigan freeway construction zoneGrand Rapids officer shoots, kills man during struggle at traffic stopPolice arrest 3, seize 12 cars for drag racing in Michigan

Schools in West Michigan are canceling classed for Wednesday, Feb. 2, before a large snowstorm is predicted. Cancellations are listed by the county the district is in. Snow is expected to fall throughout Wednesday and Thursday, with especially large amounts falling across Southern Michigan. Barry County:Barry County Intermediate School DistrictCommunity Action Delton Full DayCommunity Action Sue Drummond Head StartDelton-Kellogg Schools – daycare is openFaith Christian SchoolHastings Area Schools – Community Education and Recreation Center and daycare are openKellogg Community College - HastingsThis article will be updated if additional districts cancel school. More from MLive:Over 5 million Michiganders just added to Winter Storm WarningWhen the snowstorm starts: Timeline on the heavy snowAmtrak cancels routes in Michigan before snowstorm hits

A 7-year-old boy has died after being run over by a bulldozer operated by his father in Barry County.

A 7-year-old boy has died after being run over by a bulldozer operated by his father in Barry County.

HASTINGS, MI — Construction is underway on a four-story, $4.9 million apartment building in downtown Hastings that will bring 21 market rate apartments and ground-floor retail space to the Barry County community. The building, known as Lofts@128, is located at 128 N. Michigan Ave., and is expected to be complete by spring of 2022, said Jami Buth, director of commercial real estate for a.j. Veneklasen, Inc., a Cascade Township-based firm that’s serving as the project’s developer and general contractor.

KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI – Kalamazoo County residents should be cautious about the spread of disease through mosquitos. Eastern Equine Encephalitis, or EEE, has been found in a Barry County mosquito pool and a Livingston County horse this summer, the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department said in a news release. Related: First Michigan mosquito discovered with Eastern Equine Encephalitis in 2021No EEE has been reported in Kalamazoo County, but residents should still take precautions, the department said. If people are outside during dusk and dawn, they should take precautions to protect themselves from mosquitos, the release said. Ripped window screens should be repaired to keep mosquitos outside and outdoor lighting should be minimized after dark, the release said.

Officials have confirmed the discovery of the first mosquitoes carrying Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in Michigan this year.

BARRY COUNTY, MI – The person barricaded in a Barry County gas station was arrested early Thursday morning. The person was arrested before 2 a.m., Aug. 5, Michigan State Police said. They asked people to avoid the Mobile gas station on East Broadway Street in the Woodland area, south of Lake Odessa because it was still a crime scene as of 2 a.m.Related: Police in standoff with barricaded person at Barry County gas stationThe standoff started before 7:45 p.m., Aug. 4, and there were shots fired, state police said. State police were on scene to assist the Barry County Sheriff’s Office. Any additional information will come from the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, state police said.

Rutland Township Clerk Robin Hawthorne told MLive on July 27 that a private investigator and a sheriff’s deputy arrived at the township office two weeks ago. This has been months and I’ve been a clerk 18 years and I never had a problem with my machines or my elections. Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, right, speaks next to members of the Michigan Liberty Militia during the "American Patriot Rally-Sheriffs speak out" event at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids on Monday, May 18, 2020. “They’re trying to find out if the machines have the ability to switch votes,” Palmer told MLive. There is no modem in the machines, Palmer said.

KENT COUNTY, MI – Kent County has its first case of the highly transmissible coronavirus delta variant. That’s what viruses do.”The concern with the delta variant is that it is the most contagious variant so far, two to three times more contagious than the original virus, he said. Ottawa County and Kalamazoo County reported their first cases of delta variants late last month. Barry County reported its first delta variant earlier this week involving a patient who tested positive July 5 for the coronavirus. Read more:Delta variant slowly increasing in Michigan as doctors stress importance of vaccineCoronavirus delta variant identified in West Michigan adultFirst case of Delta COVID-19 variant confirmed in Kalamazoo County

Here are the races and issues that will appear on local ballots for the Aug. 3, 2021 Primary Election in Michigan.

YANKEE SPRINGS TWP., MI - A motorcyclist died in a Sunday afternoon crash on a Barry County freeway, police said. Deputies responded to a crash report at 2:46 p.m., April 11 on M-179 near Briggs Road in Yankee Springs Township, southeast of Wayland. An initial police investigation has determined a 37-year-old man drove the motorcycle off the roadway to the right while headed around a curve, according to a news release from the Barry County Sheriff’s Office. Both the man and a 21-year-old female passenger were ejected from the motorcycle. It is not clear at this time if alcohol or other substances were factors, police said.

CALEDONIA, MI -- A 53-year-old Barry County man crashed a car into a Caledonia power pole after fleeing from police, then threatened self-harm as police closed in. State police said they tried to arrest the Nashville man in Barry County but he fled in a car. A short time later, the car crashed along Kraft Avenue SE just south of 76th Street. The crash knocked out power to some in the area. Kraft Avenue was closed for a lengthy period as crews fixed the power pole and police investigated the scene.

MIDDLEVILLE, MI -- A Barry County village president apologized for a recent controversial Facebook post that thrust a spotlight on the small community, but resisted calls for her to resign. Middleville Village President Amanda Fisk was the focus of more than two hours of public comment during a regular village council meeting Tuesday, Feb. 23. During the village council meeting, streamed on Zoom, the participation list showed more than 320 people at one point. Critics said the post was inappropriate, even if it was not listed as a “public” Facebook post available to all. “There is so much hostility over a social media comment that wasn’t ever public.”Near the end of the meeting, Fisk addressed the criticism and apologized.

“Destroying Western civilization.”It’s unclear how many Michigan sheriffs are members of the CSPOA; the organization did not share membership details when asked by MLive. Michigan Sheriff’s Association Executive Director Matt Saxton said the CSPOA communicates with sheriff’s candidates each election season. “It’s not a group that the Michigan Sheriff’s Association associates with or condones,” Saxton said in an interview. “You have to choose fear or choose faith, that is your choice,” Craichy said at the CSPOA conference. The fearless church must rise and lead America out of crisis.”Mack, the founder of the constitutional sheriff’s group, has also claimed nutritional supplements can protect people from COVID-19.

Barry CountyBarry County Sheriff Dar Leaf. A controversial Michigan sheriff peddled baseless conspiracy theories about the election using his county email address and suggested Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson could be arrested for “a handful of violations.”In one email obtained by The Detroit News , Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf falsely claimed in December that Benson broke the law by sending absentee ballot applications to all registered voters in Michigan. Responding to an email from a Genesee County woman, who asked “under what circumstances can SOS Benson be arrested for her actions,” Leaf pointed to a state law that allows a judge to find probable cause that a public official committed malfeasance in office or willful neglect of duty.“Other violations are that the SOS has to go through state congress if the way we vote is to be changed,” Leaf wrote on Dec. 14. Gretchen Whitmer, saying they may have been trying to perform a citizen’s arrest.The Michigan Sheriffs' Association condemned the “dangerous” statements . During an anti-lockdown rally in October, Leaf shared a stage with one of the men charged in the kidnapping plot.

click to enlarge Mal_Media / Shutterstock.comAs you can see here they are blocking the entrance to the voting site. #EarlyVoting #VA #FairFax pic.twitter.com/KJ6fbLdP3G — Anthony Tilghman ● (@AnthonyTilghman) September 19, 2020Amid increasing concerns about voter intimidation, Michigan plans to dispatch state troopers to polling places in counties where officials fear local sheriffs may not enforce the law, Attorney General Dana Nessel said Sunday on Showtime’s The Circus. Election officials across the country are bracing for potential trouble as President Donald Trump continues to call for an “army” of supporters to “monitor” voting.Those concerns are amplified in places like Barry County, where Sheriff Dar Leaf appeared to defend the suspects in a plot to kidnap Gov. “I feel like its my job to do everything I can to make sure that there is a safe and secure vote. I am very hopeful that law enforcement will agree.”On Friday, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson issued a directive banning the open carry of guns outside polling places, clerk’s offices, and absent voter counting boards on Election Day.

The Michigan Sheriffs’ Association delivered a sharp rebuke to the Barry County sheriff for making “dangerous” comments in support of the 13 men who have been charged in the alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — a plot that also called for targeting law enforcement officers.Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf appeared to defend the suspects, falsely suggesting Michigan law authorizes residents to “arrest” the governor for committing "a felony. “It’s just a charge, and they say a 'plot to kidnap' and you got to remember that. So are they trying to arrest or was it a kidnap attempt? Because you can still in Michigan if it's a felony, make a felony arrest.

Related: Michigan sheriff accepts criticism of association with militia members, will not resignLeaf supporter Joel Ibbotson said he knew many people who vehemently oppose Leaf’s personal politics, but publicly advocate for him as sheriff. “Simply put, his personal politics do not get in the way of his public duty to the Constitution of the United States,” Ibbotson said. Related: Michigan sheriff says Gov. “Most militia members are freedom loving, American loving constitutionalists and patriots and are the last line of defense in case civil order breaks down. She was angered though, "because Sheriff Leaf refused to condemn the actions of men he is being condemned.

HASTINGS, MI — A planned protest calling for the resignation of Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf has been canceled by the organizer due to alleged safety concerns. Second, this protest garnered enough attention this weekend that crowd size was a concern given short notice, security, and capacity at the commissioners' meeting." In it, Bennett called on citizens to peacefully gather near the meeting location for the county commissioners' meeting and, if so inclined, speak out at the commissioners' meeting during the public comment period and ask the commissioners to pass a resolution asking for Leaf’s resignation. Leaf told MLive on Friday that he knows a couple of the men arrested last week in an alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Related: Michigan sheriff says Gov.

Gretchen Whitmer have ties to a Michigan sheriff. Suspects Michael and William Null who are brothers have been spotted protesting against Whitmer next to Barry County Sheriff, Dar Leaf. William Null was seen on stage with the sheriff at a protest against the governor’s stay-at-home order in Grand Rapids this May. So are they trying to arrest or was it a kidnap attempt?”The sheriff did say he feels for the governor and that no one should be threatened with violence. New Today: Letter criticizes Michigan governor for not warning legislature about domestic terror plotRELATED

Aerial treatment to prevent the spread of the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus has been completed with approximately 462,000 acres treated, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced Thursday. The treatment, which started on Sept. 16, was completed Wednesday, according to MDHHS. “Aerial treatment was important to protect the health and safety of Michiganders,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHHS chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. A Montcalm County resident is suspected of having EEE following preliminary testing. Individuals younger than 15 and over 50 are at a high risk on contracting the virus, MDHHS said in a press release.

Some court proceedings have continued virtually amid the pandemic, such as arraignments, probable cause conferences, preliminary hearings, settlement conferences, motion hearings and even some sentencings. But jury trials have been in a holding pattern due to state-mandated COVID-19 restrictions. As a result, the case and many other court proceedings across the state this summer were broadcast on YouTube. That method of keeping court public has its own set of pros and cons, Nakfoor Pratt said. "The main thing is these jury trials have to move forward; that’s how our justice system operates.

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the second night of aerial treatment to combat the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) has resulted in more than 226,000 total acres being completed across the state. MDHHS confirmed Friday that one human case has been confirmed in Barry County. “Treatment is being conducted to protect the health and safety of Michiganders in the affected areas,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. Additionally, a deer in Allegan County has been diagnosed with EEE. Impacted counties are now Allegan, Barry, Calhoun, Clare, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kent, Livingston, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo and Oakland.

With the second day of aerial treatment conducted for counties at risk of the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced Thursday that six more cases were confirmed in horses, expanding Livingston County to the list. MDHHS said the new cases brings the total to 28 cases and 11 counties. The new EEE cases means expanding treatment in Jackson, Kent, Livingston and Montcalm counties, according to a press release from MDHHS. “These additional cases of EEE in horses underscores the importance of providing aerial treatment in the affected counties,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHHS chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “Horse owners are not required to vaccinate their animals for EEE,” said State Veterinarian Nora Wineland, DVM in the press release.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced Wednesday the first night of aerial treatment is underway to combat the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus in Montcalm and Clare counties. Other counties -- including Kent, Newaygo, Oceana, Muskegon, Mecosta and Ionia counties -- may receive treatment Wednesday depending on the weather. While EEE has been confirmed in horses, a West Michigan resident is also suspected of having the mosquito-borne illness -- the first human known to contract EEE this year in Michigan. Michiganders are strongly urged to protect themselves from mosquito bites following the suspected EEE case along with nine confirmed cases of West Nile Virus. The outbreak at that time extended to 10 human cases and 46 animal cases.

Officials are set to conduct aerial mosquito treatment Wednesday night in 10 Michigan counties that are considered high risk for the deadly disease Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). State officials said they’re concerned about increasing cases of EEE in horses and the first suspected human case in a man from Barry County. Late summer and early autumn is the time of year when cases of West Nile Virus and EEE rise. In addition to concerns about EEE, there have also been nine confirmed cases of West Nile Virus -- including cases in Wayne and Oakland counties and Detroit. RELATED: Michigan confirms first 2020 human case of West Nile virus in Wayne County residentIn addition to wearing mosquito repellent, experts recommend getting rid of standing water around your property to remove potential breeding grounds and repairing any holes in window screens.

A West Michigan resident is suspected of having the mosquito-borne illness Eastern Equine Encephalitis, the first of the year in Michigan. Michiganders are strongly urged to protect themselves from mosquito bites following the suspected EEE case along with nine confirmed cases of West Nile Virus. More than 25% of the country’s EEE cases last year were diagnosed in Michigan, MDHHS officials said. On Monday, Michigan announced aerial treatment for mosquitoes in 10 counties to help limit EEE risk. LAST YEAR: 6th fatality linked to mosquito-borne EEE reported in Michigan

Officials are set to conduct aerial mosquito treatment in 10 Michigan counties that are considered high risk for the deadly disease Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed 22 cases of EEE in horses across Michigan. READ: Oakland County residents urged to protect themselves from mosquito bites amid confirmed EEE casesHealth officials have determined a targeted aerial treatment plan is necessary. This means mosquito control treatment will be required for those areas that are identified by the aerial treatment plan, with exception of federal properties and tribal lands. Aerial treatment is conducted by specialized aircraft, beginning in the early evening and continuing up until the following dawn.