City News Alumna wins 2023 Artist of the Year

ArtWorks recognized Renee Nestorak ’10 for her contributions to art in the community

By Isabella Helms Collegian Reporter

Renee Nestorak ’10 was named the 2023 Artist of the Year by ArtWorks of Hillsdale County on March 31.

Nestorak’s accomplishments and promotion of the arts in the community as associate music director at Hillsdale First United Methodist Church qualified her as a stand-out recipient for the award, ArtWorks President Connie Sexton said.

According to Sexton, ArtWorks will honor Nestorak on June 4 with a celebration reception at the Dawn Theater.

The award honors individuals or couples who have played a significant role in promoting arts in Hillsdale County, Sexton said. The honorees may be involved in any art form, and can be art educators or advocates. ArtWorks has given the award since 2008.

Sexton said she was impressed by Nestorak’s dedication to art and music after working with her.

“She was running the music performance competition for ArtWorks all by herself for many years, until I took it over for her and gave her a break,” Sexton said. “No matter what I ask of her, she is always there for support.”

Nestorak said she was surprised to learn she had won Artist of the Year. As an ArtWorks board member, Nestorak had received an email about a nomination but did not know any details about the nominee until she arrived at the board meeting later that day.

“When I finally showed up,” Nestorak said, “I noticed that there were several of the calendars that I designed with my photography on the table, and I thought ‘Well wait a second, what are these doing here?’ That’s when they told me that they had chosen me as the Artist of the Year, and so it was quite a surprise.”

Aside from her work at her church, Nestorak is a teacher at Hillsdale County School of the Arts, a board

4 director.

“I felt like God had kept me in the community to help further the arts and music,” Nestorak said. “I didn’t realize that right away, but looking back, I am glad that I have been able to nurture graphic arts, fine arts, and music in this community.”

John Ourensma, director of music at Hillsdale First United Methodist Church, has been working with Nestorak in a church music position for the past 10 years. Nestorak took the position of associate music director after she graduated from Hillsdale and was responsible for the contemporary 11 a.m. service and worship band.

“Renee works in the church that she grew up in since she was two or three years old when her parents moved to Hillsdale,” Ourensma said. “The church is an older congregation, and so when she began working here, she was the youngest one in the congregation.”

Nestorak began designing posters, publicity materials, and graphics for the music department and webpage soon after she started working at Hillsdale First United Methodist Church.

Over the years, Ourensma said he has been impressed by her skills.

“She is a very detailoriented person,” Ourensma said. “She catches a lot of our mistakes, oversights, and things we don’t think about. Her work is very important to our daily routine.”

Ourensma attested to Nestorak’s gifts and character, saying that both he and the community have always noticed her dedication to work and faith.

Police arrest sexual assault suspect on Easter Sunday

member of ArtWorks of Hillsdale County, and an instructor for the violin and viola. She has also published a yearly calendar of her photography.

“When I went to

Hillsdale, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I enjoyed art and music so that’s what I ended up doing,” Nestorak said. While attending the college, Nestorak double majored in art and music, with a focus on graphic design and photography. After college, she decided to stay in Hillsdale because her church was looking for a contemporary music

POLICE REPORT: 6 April

April

- The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office arrested a 38-year-old man from Hillsdale on a felony warrant for second-degree home invasion, larceny, and possession of burglars tools. A $75,000 bond with 10% allowed was not posted.

- The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office arrested a 28-year-old Hillsdale woman for operating while intoxicated. A $5,000 bond with 10% allowed was posted.

9 April

- The City of Hillsdale Police Department arrested a 35-year-old homeless man for third-degree sexual assault. No bond was allowed.

- The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office arrested a 70-year-old North Adams man on a misdemeanor warrant for two counts of a stray dog and two counts of a dangerous animal. A $2,000 bond was posted.

Logan Washburn City News Editor

Police arrested a Litchfield man accused of rape at a local hotel over Easter weekend.

Officers with the City of Hillsdale Police Department arrested 35-year-old Leandro Pereyra on suspicion of raping a woman in a hotel room early Easter Sunday, according to the Hillsdale County Sheriff’s Office.

“She was the fiancee of Pereyra’s friend who was passed out from alcohol and in the hotel room,” Prosecutor Neal Brady said. “He was arrested early Sunday morning at the hotel room.”

Pereyra claimed the incident was consensual, according to Brady.

“She has always been mature for her age and serious about her life, work, and faith,” Ourensma said. “That’s one reason why she has gotten along with the congregation as well as she has. She has figured out how to channel her gifts and energy very early on in her life.”

The Collegian has compiled a selection of recent arrests from the City of Hillsdale and Hillsdale County.

7 April

“He was arrested early Sunday morning at the hotel room.”

Officers booked Pereyra into the county jail just after 5 a.m., according to JailTracker. His bond was set at $40,000 with 10% allowed. If he pays bond, Brady said, the court would place him on a GPS tether. The sheriff’s office said the suspect was homeless.

Brady said prosecutors charged Pereyra with criminal sexual conduct in the third degree, which carries a 15-year maximum sentence.

- The Michigan State Police arrested a 50-year-old Hillsdale man on a felony warrant for a false report and malicious use of telecommunications. A $51,000 bond with 10% allowed was not posted.

- The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office arrested a 39-year-old Osseo woman on two counts of child neglect/child support and possession of methamphetamine. No bond was allowed.

10 April

- The City of Hillsdale Police Department arrested a 35-year-old Hillsdale man on a warrant for contempt and failure to appear, and two counts of domestic violence. No bond was allowed.

- The Michigan State Police arrested a 41-yearold Fremont, Indiana woman on a warrant from Noble County, Indiana. No bond was allowed.

- The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office arrested a 29 year old from Osseo on a fugitive warrant from Steuben County, Indiana. No bond was allowed.

- The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office arrested a 32-year-old man from Hillsdale on a warrant for failure to pay child support. A $250 bond was posted.

11 April

- The Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office arrested a 64-year-old Hillsdale man on a warrant for two counts of a stray dog, four bench warrants for contempt/ failure to appear, and possession of methamphetamine. No bond was allowed.

Sources: City of Hillsdale Police Department, Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office

“He may have been booked after arrest on a CSC first degree charge, which is a life offense, but that assessment of the crime was in error,” Brady said. “The offense did not fit the criteria for a CSC in the first degree.”

Brady said either he or Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jamie Wisniewski will prosecute Pereyra, and attorney Kimm Burger said she will defend him.

Burger said she had not gotten the chance to speak with him since she was assigned the case Tuesday.

“I’m looking at some of the information, and I already know by the police report, there’s still a lot of things that are not kosher,” Burger said.

Pereyra will face a probable cause conference before District Court Judge Megan Stiverson on April 19 at 10 a.m., according to the court docket.