Kirk Bennett, Lacey Wyn, big sister Dalanee and big brother Brody of Grant are welcoming home their daughter, Natalie Grace. She was born on October 11, 2014 at 9:03 pm. Little Natalie weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces and was 21 ¼  inches long. Proud grandparents are Karen and Gene Bennett, Betty and Larry Wyn. Great-grandparents are Ann and Ken Mitz, Leona and Art Bennett, Linda and Lloyde Combs. Great great-grandparents are Christina and Clifford Wright and Myrtle Bean.

By Judy Reed
The State of Michigan Court of Appeals ruled last week that Bobby Jay Fisk, 28, is not entitled to a new trial in the murders of Robert and Norma Bean, 66, of Howard City.

Bobby Fisk

Fisk and Timothy Stephan, 29, both of Howard City, and both parolees, entered the Bean residence in the early morning hours of October 6, 2008 and stole their ATM card, a gun, and some Vicodin tablets while the couple slept. When they couldn’t get money out with the ATM card, they returned to the Bean home and kidnapped them at gunpoint and forced them into their own vehicle. The suspects then drove the Beans to various locations in Montcalm County in an attempt to obtain money. The suspects eventually drove the Beans to the 14000 block of Beardslee and murdered them.
Stephan pled guilty to the murders in 2009, and received life in prison. Fisk was convicted in 2010 and received four life sentences: one for kidnapping, one for armed robbery, one for felony murder, and one for premeditated murder, without possibility for parole. He also received 30 to 45 years on three counts of first-degree home invasion, 6 to 10 years for possession of firearms by a felon, two years for felony firearms. Fisk appealed the conviction and sentencing.
The Court of Appeals ruled that Fisk was not denied the effective assistance of counsel and is not entitled to a new trial. His appeal maintained that trial counsel was ineffective and should have moved to suppress Fisk’s statements to police immediately after the murders.