Latest news with #BattleCreekCentralHighSchool
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Battle Creek's Brad Hoelscher shines at EDM Awards
Brad Hoelscher, a Battle Creek Central High School and Kellogg Community College alum, has won "Mixshow DJ of the Year." According to a community announcement, the award was presented March 28 at the Electronic Dance Music Awards at the Eden Roc Hotel in Miami Beach. This annual event coincides with the Ultra Music Festival and Winter Music Conference, showcasing top talent in Electronic Dance Music. Hoelscher, known as Bodega Brad, has previously won this award in 2018. He graduated from BCCHS in 1994 and later from KCC before moving to New York City to pursue a career in radio. He began his journey at 103.5-FM WKTU-NYC, starting in promotions and eventually becoming the Resident Mixshow DJ. More: FireKeepers Casino announces star-studded summer concert series Brad Hoelscher, known as Bodega Brad, a Battle Creek Central High School and Kellogg Community College alum, has won "Mixshow DJ of the Year." For the past 15 years, Bodega Brad has been the Mixshow DJ for the 5 p.m. "Weekend Kickoff Mix" and for Friday and Saturday nights on KTU-NYC, which is part of iHeartRadio. He is also a resident Mixshow DJ on Sirius/XM's Utopia Channel and hosts "Nurotic's House Party," a syndicated dance show from Chicago. We want your news: How to submit community announcements Fans can follow Bodega Brad on social media and listen to his mixes for free at For updates, go to his Instagram at This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at or share your thoughts at with our News Automation and AI team. This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek's Brad Hoelscher wins 'Mixshow DJ of the Year'
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Yahoo
Teen gets decades in prison for good Samaritan's murder
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) — He was 14 when he opened fire on a good Samaritan who offered him a ride on a bitterly cold night, and now, Justice Chimner will spend at least three decades in prison. On Monday, a Calhoun County judge sentenced Chimner to 35-60 years for the deadly shooting, which occurred during a carjacking in February 2023. Chimner, now 15, pleaded guilty in December to felony murder for the shooting death of Battle Creek Central High School senior Jack Snyder. Snyder, 17, was heading home from his girlfriend's birthday party when he saw Chimner and another teen walking. He home because it was bitterly cold that night. Chimner and 13-year-old Dewond Estes III accepted. Teen said he shot student with mother's stolen gun That act of kindness turned sinister when the pair tried to carjack Snyder's vehicle. Snyder was shot twice. He was found next to his car in the area of Battle Creek Avenue and Capital Avenue. Snyder died at the scene. The two suspects were arrested within days. Teen pleads to felony murder after 17-year-old killed during carjacking Estes pleaded guilty in October to carjacking. A judge in January sentenced Estes, now 14, to a blended sentence that includes several years in a juvenile facility with quarterly reviews. Charges were filed earlier this year against a third person whom investigators say asked that a car be stolen in exchange for money, court documents show. Third person charged in death of Battle Creek 17-year-old Marcus Parsons, 20, has a hearing later this month on multiple charges, including felony murder. Chimner told police that earlier on the day of the shooting, he was contacted by someone and was asked to steal a car in exchange for money. Detectives traced the Snapchat account to Parsons, court records show. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Yahoo
Remembering ‘Pat' Patterson, a barrier breaker in Battle Creek
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) — March 2 marks the birthday of a local legend in Battle Creek. , known across the city as 'Pat,' was born 153 years ago. He was a Black barrier breaker who played an outsized role in a city known for its racially progressive past. Patterson was born in 1872 in Omaha, Nebraska, and eventually made his living as a barnstorming baseball player. He first arrived in Michigan in 1895 when he joined the in Adrian. He followed the team when it moved to Chicago and became known as the Columbia Giants. He spent several years bouncing between barnstorming teams, playing in Philadelphia and New York City before eventually returning to Michigan in 1907. In addition to playing for local teams, Patterson was hired to be the head coach for Battle Creek Central High School's baseball team and led them to a state title in his first year. A pilot's fateful flight under the Mackinac Bridge In 1909, Patterson was ready to take his life in a new direction. He joined the Battle Creek Police Department as the city's first Black patrolman. Battle Creek was considered a progressive city in the start of the 20th century. It was a stop on the famous Underground Railroad and was home to several African American pioneers, including abolitionists and . But that doesn't mean Patterson didn't suffer any prejudice. Jody Owens of the said there were stipulations on Patterson's job with BCPD. 'He was never assigned to a neighborhood, and I fear that that was maybe because of his color. And he was never allowed to seek a promotion,' Owens told News 8. Congress OKs renaming Battle Creek post office after Sojourner Truth Instead, Patterson became known around downtown, directing traffic at Bank Corners — a nickname for the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Capital Avenue that housed banks on three of its four corners. 'He was Battle Creek's traffic cop in the days before signals, motioning traffic through in a ballet of gestures and gyrations. And always, it was said, with a smile on his face,' Chuck Carlson for the Battle Creek Enquirer. Between his personality and the downtown spotlight, 'Pat' was one of those people who everyone in town recognized. It also didn't hurt to have a heavyweight in your corner. Patterson became fast friends with heavyweight champion when he traveled through Battle Creek between fights. The champ became a public enemy by 1910. Not only were plenty of white Americans upset that a Black man held the heavyweight title, but Johnson was also known to date white women. Michigan's POW camps: War isn't always black and white So whenever Johnson traveled through the city, Patterson served as a pseudo-chaperone for the boxer. 'Patterson would pick him up at the train station and house him in his own home… Then he'd usually leave unobtrusively the next day,' Carlson wrote. When Johnson found himself on the wrong end of a racially motivated FBI investigation, Patterson was once again there to help. In , Johnson was charged with violating the Mann Act — a law that made it illegal to transport 'any woman or girl across state lines for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery or for any other immoral purpose.' The woman in this alleged incident was his wife Lucille. Once members of the Battle Creek Police Department were tipped off that Johnson was both wanted and on a train heading for the city, they had no choice but to arrest him. Still, Johnson wasn't thrown in lockup. Instead, he was allowed to stay at Patterson's house and wait for officers from Chicago to extradite him. Killing Smalley: The death of Michigan's most notorious train robber Patterson played a wider role in the Black community, as well. According to Owens, he was appointed by Gov. Woodbridge Ferris to serve as a part of Michigan's delegation for the Lincoln Jubilee, a festival held in 1915 in Chicago to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the end of legalized slavery. Patterson also formed a local organization called the Independent Colored Voters League to amplify the voices of Black residents. And he wasn't afraid to take a stand when racism reared its ugly head. When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Camp Custer in nearby Augusta was opened as a massive training ground. The camp brought soldiers in from all across the country, including the Jim Crow South. And they brought their racist sentiments with them. 2 new Battle Creek sites added to NPS Underground Railroad program Patterson penned a letter to Congressman John M. C. Smith demanding changes after witnessing 'disgraceful things.' 'The Constitution of the U.S.A. has been set aside, and the laws of the State of Michigan, one of the grandest states in the Union, are no more than scraps of paper thrown in the dirtiest of alleys,' . He lamented that the thousands of Black Michiganders fighting for their country overseas, including two of his sons, would return to see bathrooms reserved 'for whites only.' Wrote Patterson: 'We have fought and help win democracy for the world; but a few good, old Southern officers with their hate in them are trying to establish the laws of Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama into our state.' Stanley Ketchel: How 'The Michigan Assassin' found himself on the wrong end of a rifle There's no record of Patterson's efforts bringing about change at Camp Custer, but his standing in the community stands out, as does his comfort as a Black American speaking out so strongly against military officials. Patterson served 31 years with the Battle Creek Police Department before he ultimately died in the line of duty. On Aug. 1, 1940, a 68-year-old Patterson jumped in to help after a patient escaped from the nearby Veterans Hospital. The confrontation reportedly happened in front of the old post office, less than a block away from Bank Corners. During the struggle, Patterson was kicked hard and suffered an undisclosed rupture in his groin. He underwent surgery to repair the rupture, but doctors ran into complications. Patterson eventually contracted an infection and died 22 days after the incident. The Kinross Incident: Alien encounter or a fatal flight error? More than 500 people turned out for his funeral, and fellow officers served as his pallbearers. Owens says it was clear 'Pat' was a beloved member of the community. 'There were so many flowers from civic groups, they just overflowed the room and out into the halls of the funeral home,' she said. 'They took many of them to the grave site, but they still had a truckload that they sent to his widow.' In 1999, a portion of East State Street next to BCPD headquarters was renamed John W. Patterson Way to honor the fallen officer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Yahoo
Third person charged in death of Battle Creek 17-year-old
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) — A third person has been charged in the shooting death of a Battle Creek Central High School senior during a carjacking. Marcus Parsons, 20, was charged Tuesday with felony murder. He was arraigned over Zoom from the Calhoun County jail. A not guilty plea was entered, which is standard, and bond was denied. Parsons was arrested Monday at a home on Tennyson Avenue near Capital Avenue SW, according to the Battle Creek Police Department. In asking the court to deny bond, Calhoun County Prosecutor David Gilbert said Parsons could be a flight risk. 'It appears that he was apprehended by the use of a K-9,' Gilbert said. 'He was hiding in an attic at the time that he was placed under arrest.' BCPD: Teen killed after offering suspects ride home Parsons is not accused of being present during the carjacking and shooting, but investigators believe he was involved in asking a teenager to steal a car in exchange for money, court documents indicate. The shooting happened in February 2023. The victim, 17-year-old Jack Snyder, asked two teens if they needed a ride home because of the cold temperatures that night. The teens — identified as Justice Chimner and Dewond Estes, who were 14 and 13 at the time — accepted. The pair tried to carjack Snyder's vehicle. Court documents say Snyder resisted, and Chimner shot and killed Snyder. Chimner and Estes were arrested within days. Chimner to felony murder and Estes to carjacking. Teen pleads to felony murder after 17-year-old killed during carjacking According to a probable cause affidavit, Chimner told police that earlier on the day of the shooting, he was contacted by someone and was asked to steal a car in exchange for money. Detectives traced the Snapchat account to Parsons, the affidavit says. Parsons admitted that the account was his and that it was used to contact Chimner, according to the document. 'Parsons admitted to being present during the conversation about the carjacking and believed that Chimner had a gun that he had taken from his mother,' the affidavit says. 'Parsons stated a friend had this conversation using his account.' Both Chimner and Estes told police that Parsons was the only other person present during the conversation, according to the affidavit. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
