PEACE.
>> THAT WAS SHATTERED. A
KOREAN ROBBINS REPORTING. ON A
PERSONAL NOTE. TONIGHT WE HAVE
SOME SAD NEWS TO SHARE
REGARDING OUR COLLEAGUE MARTIN
THEATERS.
>> ART LOST HIS BATTLE WITH
WEST NILE VIRUS TONIGHT. HE
WAS JUST 56 YEARS OLD. WE
WANTED TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS
TO LOOK BACK AT A TALENTED
REPORTER AND A BELOVED
CO-WORKER.
>> BARTON THEATERS SPENT A
PROFESSIONAL CAREER OF MORE
THAN 30 YEARS IN JOURNALISM.
CASTING A WRY ANALYTICAL WILL
YOU KNOW WHETHER A GATOR IN
THE GROUND ON JUST ABOUT
ANYONE SATURDAY IF NOT THE
PLAYFUL EYE ON THE WORLD
AROUND. IT WAS A YEAR
ALLIGATOR BARTON LEADERS
BREAKS DOWN. WHY IT'S
HAPPENING AND HOW MUCH IT
MIGHT HURT. BRIAN, LIKE A
BUTTERFLY FLAPPING WINGS AND
SOUTH AMERICA CAN CAUSE A
TORNADO IN TEXAS PROBLEM.
STATES AWAY CAN MEAN HIGHER
NATIVE OF WYOMING, MICHIGAN
BARTON GREW UP STEEPED IN ALL
THE GREAT ANNA LONG TRADITIONS
OF THE 1970'S CULTIVATING A
BOLD SENSE OF STYLE THAT
CEMENTED HIS REPUTATION AS A
KEEN OBSERVER DRAWN TO THE
PLIGHT OF THE UNDERDOG. THE
FIRST IS A PRINT JOURNALIST.
AND THEN LATER IN TV NEWS,
COMMITMENT TO TRUTH AND
FAIRNESS. AND THE GRAND RAPIDS
PRESS BARR L TO BEAT THE PAPER
CALLED JUSTICE REPORTER AN APT
TITLE FOR THE UNABASHED COMIC
BOOK FANATIC WHO NEVER MISSED
AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE
INTRICACIES OF A COURT CASE.
OR THE HIDDEN MERITS OF A
GRILLED CHEESE BURRITO. OUR
CAME IRREVERENT AND INNOVATIVE
BARTON'S USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES TO
ENHANCE COURTHOUSE COVERAGE
WAS WELL REGARDED AND HE WAS A
WELL-KNOWN FIXTURE AROUND THE
HALLS OF THE COUNTY CLERK'S
OFFICE WHERE HE ROUTINELY
PERUSE THE DOCKET IN SEARCH OF
HIS NEXT STORY. ALRIGHT
MERRILEE. THEY JUST CLEARED
HERE JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO,
THE ART AND IT WAS WELL
ACQUAINTED WITH THE FRAGILITY
OF LIFE AFTER 10 YEARS OF
WAITING ON THE TRANSPLANT LIST
BART RECEIVED THE GIFT OF LIFE
LIVER. ON OF ALL DAYS.
HALLOWEEN. HALLOWEEN WOULD
REPRESENT BART STREET TO
LIFE'S TRICK A NEW BEGINNING
AND A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE.
ART ALWAYS QUICK TO
ACKNOWLEDGE HIS DONOR AND HER
FAMILY FOR THEIR SELFLESS
GIFT. FOR ALL OF THE ATTENTION
ACCLAIM AND AWARDS BART
CONSIDERED HIS FAMILY, HIS
TRUEST MEASURE OF SUCCESS AS
HE WROTE IN THE CAPTION FOR
THIS PHOTO OF HIS FAMILY. THIS
IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. HIS
WIFE OF NEARLY 29 YEARS
LORRAINE A HIS SELF-DESCRIBED
PARTNER IN CRIME. SHE MAKES
EVERY DAY BETTER IN MY LIFE OF
JOY. COLOR. ME LUCKY PART
ROAD. WE THANK LORENA AND
PARTS CHILDREN HARRISON AND
SOPHIE FOR SHARING HIM WITH
US. MAKE NO MISTAKE BARTON
PETERS UNDERSTOOD THE CRUEL
IRONY OF THE INCONCEIVABLE
FATE TO BEFALL THEM ALL OF
MIND COULD BE CAUSED BY A
MOSQUITO. TRANSMITTING THE
WEST NILE VIRUS. IS WHAT KIND
SOMETHING AS PREPOSTEROUS AS
THIS MONTH. FED UPON HIS
DIAGNOSIS LAST FALL. BARTON
WAS DETERMINED TO FIGHT.
>> HE WENT FROM A VENTILATOR
AND FEEDING TUBE BE PUSHING UP
THERE TO THE FIRST STEPS AND
REHABILITATION. WE'RE JUST
GOING TO SHUT OUT HOW LEARN TO
USE HIS VOICE AGAIN. THERE YOU
GO. AND AGAIN, SOME FUNCTION
OF HIS BODY THAT NOW BETRAYED
HIM.
>> SO MUCH HOPE WE ALL PASSED
LAST MONTH STARTING FROM MARY
FREE BED REHABILITATION
HOSPITAL. CHEERS OF HIS HE
KNEW HE WAS LYING. AND HE WAS
GOING HOME.
>> SO IT SEEMS NOT ALL HEROES
WEAR CAPES GODSPEED BARKING.
OUR HERO.
>> AND STAY WITH US. WE'LL BE