11/12/12 - The trial of a Highland Township man charged with the bludgeoning death of his mother last year is set to begin this week. 22-year-old Jeffrey Pyne is jailed without bond in the May 2011 death of 51-year-old Ruth Pyne in the garage of the familyâs Highland Township home. He had been set to go to trial in September, but the proceedings were delayed after the medical examiner in the case suffered a heart attack. It is now scheduled to begin tomorrow. Previous testimony indicated that prosecutors plan to introduce Ruth Pyneâs autopsy and photos of Jeffrey Pyneâs hands taken the day of the killing, which reportedly indicated signs of injury. That testimony would validate their theory that Pyne injured himself during the attack. Pyneâs attorney has argued there is no evidence linking his client to the murder and has speculated that the killing may have been committed by a stranger. If convicted, Pyne faces life in prison without parole. (JK)
Murder Trial to Begin Tuesday for Highland ManMurder Trial to Begin Tuesday for Highland Man
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Livingston County Celebrates Veterans DayLivingston County Celebrates Veterans Day
11/12/12 - Veterans and community members gathered on the lawn of the Livingston County Courthouse on Veterans Day, in order to honor and thank all those who served in the United States Armed Forces. Members of the Livingston County Marine Corp League began the ceremony by performing the three volley salute to pay homage to those who gave their lives in service of our country. State Senator Joe Hune was on hand. He says Veterans Day is a day for remembering. âItâs a way to say that we remember. From the soldiers who shivered and starved throughout the winter at Valley Forge, to those who crouched in muddy trenches of France, to the platoon who patrolled the hazy jungles of Vietnam, and the young men or women patrolling the mountains of Afghanistan. Today we honor and remember them all.â While Veterans Day falls on a Sunday this year, Monday, November 12th is the observed holiday, part of the Uniform Holiday Bill enacted in 1968 making Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day, three day holiday weekends. Since 1919, Americans have honored veterans on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month - a tribute to the day and time that an armistice was signed effectively ending World War One.(DL/JK)
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Fallen Tree Causes Rollover CrashFallen Tree Causes Rollover Crash
11/12/12 - A seatbelt is being credited with keeping a Stockbridge resident from sustaining serious injuries following a crash Sunday afternoon. Unadilla Township Police say the 57-year-old man was driving his sedan eastbound on Dexter Trail east of Van Syckle Road when he crested a hill and came upon a fallen tree blocking both lanes at about 3pm. The man swerved off the right shoulder of the roadway and rolled his vehicle several times down an embankment. The downed tree was likely caused by high winds Sunday. Unadilla Police credit the driver wearing a seatbelt which they say likely prevented much more serious injuries. (JK)
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Hartland Officials Seek Applicants for Compensation CommissionHartland Officials Seek Applicants for Compensation Commission
11/12/12 - The Hartland Township Board of Trustees is asking an independent commission of its residents to determine the rate of pay for local officials. Established by state statute, the decision of the Compensation Commission will become effective without any vote of the Township Board. The Board can only reject the findings of the Commission by a two-thirds super-majority vote and cannot make its own adjustments. The Commission will study the salary, stipends and per-diem pay for elected officials on the Board of Trustees, as well as appointed members of the Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals and Boards of Review. The Board is currently seeking interested applicants to serve staggering five year terms on the Compensation Commission, which will consist of five members. Applications are due by Monday, December 3rd. They can be downloaded below. The Commission will begin meeting in January or February of 2013 and will convene every other year thereafter. (JK)
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Salvation Army To "Ring It On" At Red Kettle Campaign Kick-Off Salvation Army To "Ring It On" At Red Kettle Campaign Kick-Off
11/12/12 - Livingston County residents are being invited to help those in need and âring it onâ later this week. The Livingston County Salvation Army will host a Red Kettle campaign kick-off event this Wednesday, the oldest annual charitable fundraiser of its kind in the United States. All of the funds raised during the campaign help the local Corps serve over 10,000 people in need every year in Livingston County through a wide array of programs including toys for kids, coats for the homeless and food for the hungry. Last year, The Salvation Army of Livingston County had a goal of $180,000 and exceeded it by more than $20,000. This year, a Red Kettle campaign goal of $200,000 has been established. The Salvation Army of Livingston County will present the first âRing It On! Red Kettle Kickoffâ featuring Red Kettle Mania and around the Kettle Networking. Commemorative Red Kettle pins will be given to the first 20 people in attendance as well as the first 20 people who RSVP. The kick-off event is free and open to the general public this Wednesday. It begins at 3:30pm, with the Kettle ceremony at 4pm at the Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce building located at 218 East Grand River. Complete details are posted below. (JM)
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Demolition Work Underway At Howell Rest Stop On WB I-96 Demolition Work Underway At Howell Rest Stop On WB I-96
11/12/12 - Demolition work is underway at a now-closed rest stop in the Howell area. The rest area is located on westbound I-96, just past the Lake Chemung exit and is being removed in order to make way for the Latson Road/I-96 interchange. The Michigan Department of Transportation closed the rest area permanently last month in anticipation of building demolition work and other construction on the interchange. The project is the culmination of years of work between state and local officials as well as other partners to secure the $32 (m) million needed for construction. It involves constructing a new bridge extending Latson Road over I-96, building new ramps to connect I-96 and Latson Road, resurfacing and widening the Grand River /Latson Road intersections as well as reconstructing and relocating surrounding roads. Preliminary work this fall involves relocating Beck Road, clearing and removing trees, relocating utilities, and removal of the rest area. The majority of construction on the new interchange is expected to begin in the spring with final project completion in November 2013. (JM)
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Tyrone Property Owner Reaches Deal with Pipeline CompanyTyrone Property Owner Reaches Deal with Pipeline Company
11/12/12 - A dispute between a pipeline company and a Tyrone Township family has been settled out of court. This summer, Enbridge Energy workers cleared an area of trees on the property of Deborah and David Hense as part of its work on the pipeline spanning Livingston County. The Hense family opposed the action, saying it went beyond the original agreement because it was not on the immediate easement for the existing pipeline. Work on that portion of the pipeline had been halted by Circuit Court Judge Michael Hatty after the issue had been brought in front of him to decide whether clearing the area was covered under the agreement as a reasonable use to facilitate construction of the pipeline. But Deborah Hense tells WHMI that earlier this month, they entered into a ten-hour mediation session with the company that produced an agreement. While she couldnât discuss details of the arrangement, she said it was satisfactory, although she felt it âwas the lesser of two evils.â Per the receipt of final documents, Hense expects Enbridge workers to resume work on her property December 1st. (JK)
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Local Home Sales & Prices Up in OctoberLocal Home Sales & Prices Up in October
11/13/12 - Home sales in Livingston County saw a significant increase last month from comparable 2011 figures, and in fact led the region. Thatâs according to statistics released Monday by Farmington Hills-based real estate information firm Realcomp II Ltd. 272 homes were sold last month in the county, up 73 from the 199 sold in October of 2011. That represents a nearly 37% increase, which was the highest in the seven-county southeast Michigan region. Also on the upswing is the median sale price of homes in Livingston County, which sold for $159,000 last month, up 13.6% from the average $140,000 sale price in October of 2011. In addition, the inventory of homes on the market locally dropped by nearly 11 percent from the month-to-month period, while the time they spent on the market also dropped from 98 days on average in 2011 to 93 days last month. (JK)
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Longtime Pinckney Village President Nears End of TenureLongtime Pinckney Village President Nears End of Tenure
11/13/12-- Pinckney Village Council will welcome a new president into office this month. Councilwoman Linda Lavey will take the place of Rebecca Foster as president. After 9 years of service to the council, Foster decided not to run for re-election this year. Lavey plans to carry-on many of the plans that Foster has had for the village, such as bringing more businesses to downtown Pinckney. Council will also welcome a new member to their team this month. Jessica Aseltine joins the board with hopes to get more people involved in the community. Lavey and Aseltine will be officially sworn into their new positions on November 20th. (SO)
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"No Grand Plans" Following Defeat of Howell Twp. Millage "No Grand Plans" Following Defeat of Howell Twp. Millage
11/13/12 - Howell Township appears to be moving forward following the defeat of a millage proposal that would have helped cover some of the municipalityâs bad water and sewer debt left mostly by developers when the economy crashed. Voters resoundingly turned down the 3.5 mill property tax in last Tuesdayâs general election. The same proposal was also rejected by voters in the August primary election. The board had investigated the possibility of applying for emergency assistance through a state loan to help address some of the looming debt but Howell Township didnât qualify for the program because it is not currently running a deficit. Supervisor Mark Coddington indicated the situation âis what it isâ during Monday nightâs meeting and explained there are âno grand plansâ to do anything right now. Worst case scenario, Coddington said the township could end up taking a state loan if a budget deficit exists next year. Although the municipality could raise water and sewer rates again, officials said they are already so far behind; the rates would be way too high to actually do that. Meanwhile, the board did approve a resolution to reduce the water and sanitary sewer connection fees for new users but it will not apply to commercial connections. Fees will be reduced from $4,600 to $3,500 per REU or Residential Equivalency Unit to encourage residential development users. The fees apply until December 31st, 2014 and only to users that purchase at least 50 water and sewer connections each in a single transaction. (JM)
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Residents Unhappy with Planned Lighted Scranton Stadium Residents Unhappy with Planned Lighted Scranton Stadium
11/13/12 - For the second meeting in a row, citizens unhappy with the decision to place a lighted stadium for Scranton Middle School near their homes were at the Brighton Board of Education meeting Monday night. The residents are trying to prevail upon the board to change the location of the stadium back to the originally-proposed site, in front of the school. One of the citizens, Pat OâDonnell, who lives adjacent to the school, told the board he doesnât want the lights and sound from the P.A. system intruding on his quiet, rural lifestyle. Superintendent Greg Gray tells WHMI that unless the board votes to change the location of the field at the next meeting, the decision will stand on the location. At its meeting on Nov. 26, the board will approve the design and development package for the first phase of the $88 million bond issue passed by the voters last spring, and that will encompass the new Scranton athletic facilities. In the meantime, the bond committee will be meeting Wednesday to discuss the plans for Scranton. The determination to move the field resulted from the decision to put in a roundabout, instead of a conventional intersection with traffic light, on Maltby Road in front of the school. The road commission said an additional 100 feet of land was needed to build it, and that forced the field back to an area directly over a secondary septic system. As a result, it was decided to move the proposed field to the back of the school next to other athletic facilities and fields. Gray says the field could still be placed in front of the school and another secondary septic system built, but that would cost more money. (TT)
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Pipeline Company Apologizes for Flag FlapPipeline Company Apologizes for Flag Flap
11/13/12 - A Livingston County woman says she's upset that a U.S. flag was flown improperly on Veterans Day at a staging area for work on an oil pipeline company's project. The American flag was seen Sunday flying underneath another flag near Whitmore Lake Road in Green Oak Township instead of above it. Oceola Township resident Beth Duman, a long-time critic of Enbridge, says the flags were in the same position Friday and called it an example of arrogance. "All of us who have dealt with (Enbridge) personally know how arrogant they are and how they don't seem to really care about us. That just rubbed it in even worse. My gosh, these guys think their company tops our country? That's just a sign of what 'Big Oil' thinks of our country" Enbridge Energy spokesman Jason Manshum said Monday the flag placement was a mistake that has been corrected. He also apologized. The Michigan pipeline is replacing one that runs from Griffith, Ind., to Sarnia, Ontario. Calgary-based Enbridge Inc.'s current pipeline burst in 2010 near Marshall, dumping more than 800,000 gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River system. (Photo supplied by Beth Duman)
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Rogers Mentioned as Possible Candidate to Lead CIARogers Mentioned as Possible Candidate to Lead CIA
11/13/12 - Following last weekâs surprise resignation of CIA director David Petraeus, a well-known name from Livingston County is being touted as a possible successor. Congressman Mike Rogers, who chairs the House intelligence committee, was mentioned Sunday in a New York Times article listing possible candidates to take over the nationâs premiere spy agency. The Howell Republican, who is a former FBI agent and one-time Army officer, has so far made no comment on the speculation. Also mentioned in the article as succeeding Petraeus was retired CIA operative John O. Brennan, National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon and Michael E. Leiter, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center. However, the Times article posited that Rogers, ââ¦could sail through confirmation hearings and give a bipartisan air to the administration's efforts, as Mr. Petraeus did." Macomb County Congresswoman Candice Miller has also endorsed a possible Rogers nomination to head up the CIA, telling The Detroit News that Rogers would be an "excellent choice." CIA deputy director Michael Morell is currently heading up the agency following Petraeus' resignation Friday after news broke of his affair with biographer Paula Broadwell. Morell is also a likely candidate for permanent replacement. (JK)
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Chamber Meeting Discusses Transit Legislation Chamber Meeting Discusses Transit Legislation
11/13/12 - Passage of regional authority transit legislation for southeast Michigan was urged at this morningâs Howell Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting. The bill, currently in the state Senate, will be taken up November 27th. Wayne, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and counties adjacent to those, such as Livingston County, would be given the option to join the transit authority. Paul Tait, executive director of SEMCOG, or the South East Michigan Council of Governments, tells WHMI that the passing of this legislation will move Michigan transportation forward. Tait believes three things must occur for successful transit: integrated systems, a regional transit authority and adequate local and state source of revenue. Of the top 25 metropolitan areas in the country, Southeast Michigan is ranked 23rd in the amount of state and local money that goes into transit. The WALLY train system, which is already in the works, is only one method of the many that Tait says could be added to the area. A bus transit from Detroit to Pontiac on Woodward Avenue is also a possibility in the near future.(DK)
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2-Year-Old Howell Twp. Girl Dies From Injuries Sustained In Fire 2-Year-Old Howell Twp. Girl Dies From Injuries Sustained In Fire
11/13/12 - A 2-year-old girl has died after suffering significant injuries during an early morning fire in her Howell Township mobile home. The fire happened about 1:30am in the Fairlawn Estates Mobile Home Park off of M-59, east of Michigan Avenue. Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte tells WHMI the girl passed away this afternoon at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. The girlâs parents suffered smoke inhalation and Bezotte says the father also sustained some burns to his arms while trying to get inside to save his daughter but was unable to do so. He says a 3-year-old child was not injured. Howell Area Fire Authority Chief Andy Pless told WHMI they do not believe the fire is suspicious but the cause remains under investigation. The home did have smoke alarms but investigators do not believe they were functioning. (JM)
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Outgoing Howell Twp. Board Members Henry & Hubbel Recognized Outgoing Howell Twp. Board Members Henry & Hubbel Recognized
11/13/12 - The Howell Township Board adopted resolutions of appreciation for two outgoing members at Monday nightâs meeting. The board thanked Trustees John Hubbel and Carolyn Henry for their years of dedicated service as elected officials. Henry is pictured. Hubbel served on the Board of Review from 1997 to 2000, at which point he was elected Trustee but he also served on the personnel and finance committees. Henry represented citizens on the Zoning Board of Appeals for years before moving on to her role as trustee. Board members say they well-earned the respect and gratitude of not only residents but many elected officials across Livingston County. Both decided not to run for re-election.
Republican incumbent Trustees Matthew Counts and Dar Howard were re-elected and will be joined by Democratic newcomers Lois Kanniainen and Mike Tipton on the board. The clerk, treasurer and Supervisor Mark Coddington all retained their seats. He tells WHMI they appreciate all of the hard work members put in. While Henry decided not to run for re-election again, she wonât be going far having been appointed to the planning commission for a term lasting until December 31st, 2015. Dar Howard was named the board representative to the commission from November 2013 to November of 2016. (JM)
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Pinckney Requests State Funds to Develop Public Parks
11/13/12-- Pinckney Village Council is working with Putnam Township to request funds from the State of Michigan to develop parks and recreation areas. The communities have constructed a Joint Master Plan that includes the projects they would like to work on in the area. One of the projects the Pinckney Village Council would like to develop is their mill pond. The property was recently donated to the village.
Projects like this would be made possible if the state offers the grant money that Pinckney has requested. Members are looking forward to providing better developed public parks and recreation areas for their community. (SO)
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Howell Schools Examine Plan To Increase Off-Campus CreditsHowell Schools Examine Plan To Increase Off-Campus Credits
11/14/12 - Officials within the Howell school district are developing a plan to make it easier for students to earn school credits from sources outside the classroom. The plan is called âexpanding the path to graduationâ and is based on an educational initiative in New Hampshire that has won national acclaim. The program would allow for activities offered through the school, such as varsity or club sports, as well as activities outside of the district, such as getting a job or participating in community organizations, to earn students credits toward graduation. Superintendent Ron Wilson says such a program would help get rid of the mindset that the school district is the sole provider of a childâs education. He says the program will help struggling students earn the credits to graduate when they take on part-time jobs or participate in outside organizations. He says it will also help advanced students earn more credits by expanding their opportunities to dual-enroll or take advantage of virtual classes. Before this can be deployed a process must be developed for students to apply for additional credits and verify their outside work. Wilson says it is likely that official school functions, like varsity sports, will probably be the first to be recognized under this system. The issue will be discussed at the districtâs next roundtable meeting later this month. (TD)
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Local Teacher Advances in Jeopardy TournamentLocal Teacher Advances in Jeopardy Tournament
11/14/12 - A 2003 Howell High School graduate is moving on as a semi-finalist on a popular quiz show. 27-year-old Brenton Montie is the youngest teacher appearing on the âTeachers Tournamentâ of Jeopardy and the only teacher from Michigan competing against other educators from across the country. Montie is a 6th grade social studies teacher at Centennial Middle School in South Lyon, where he currently resides, and was one of the semi-finalists named after appearing on the show Monday. The former Howell High School Quiz Bowl member is a 2008 Michigan State University graduate and worked as a substitute teacher and a summer school teacher for the Howell district. The âTeachers Tournamentâ series airs at 7:30pm on Channel 4 through Friday, which is when Montie will next appear on the show. The winner of the competition will receive $100,000 and a guaranteed spot in the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions. Each teacher will also receive a Classroom Jeopardy unit for their school. (Photo courtesy of Jeopardy Productions)
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Local Youth Groups Lead Homelessness Awareness CampaignLocal Youth Groups Lead Homelessness Awareness Campaign
11/14/12 - The Connection Youth Services will be hosting two events this week as part of National Homelessness Awareness week, which runs through Sunday. An event today will involve placing silhouettes on the lawn of the Historic Downtown Courthouse estimating the number of people without permanent homes living in Livingston County. Tomorrow, The Connection will be at the Howell Opera House offering to help residents understand the challenges of homelessness. They will be running a homelessness simulation experience where residents will be given typical scenarios a homeless person may face and be asked how they would respond and seek assistance. Also part of Homelessness Awareness Week is an event by the 2|42 Kids Care Club where members and their families lived out of their cars for 24 hours. Community Collaborative Planner for Human Services Collaborative Body of Livingston County Lindsay Beaudry tells WHMI that the events and others like them will help increase homelessness awareness in the county. Beaudry will be a guest on this Sundayâs Viewpoint program. Non-perishable food items, warm gloves, hats, and socks are being accepted at The Connectionâs Opera House event tomorrow. Other donations can be made through the Livingston County United Way. The Connectionâs Opera House event will take place Thursday from 4:00 to 7:00pm. To get involved or donate to help combat the homelessness problem in Livingston County, contact Beaudry at 517-586-2039 or by emailing lbeaudry@cmhliv.org. (TD)
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