3/30/14 - The proposed city charter for Dexter is now available for the public to look over before being submitted. A charter commission was elected by the village in November to look into the option of filing a charter and becoming a city. That commission has completed its draft and presented it to the public at a meeting on March 22nd, according to the Dexter Leader. About a dozen members of the public attended that meeting and posed questions to the commission. Curious members of the public can still view the charter by logging onto the villageâs website, or by visiting the village offices, library, or senior center. The charter commission still has meetings to hold on April 2nd and 9th before submitting the charter to Attorney General Bill Schuette, who will make sure it fulfills all legal requirements. If so, voters will get the chance to vote on the charter in November and determine the new city officials. A link to the website where the charter can be viewed is posted below. (TD)
Dexter Presenting Proposed City Charter To Village ResidentsDexter Presenting Proposed City Charter To Village Residents
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Ceremony to Mark Start of Child Abuse Prevention MonthCeremony to Mark Start of Child Abuse Prevention Month
3/31/14 - The community will come together Tuesday to show support for Livingston County children and families and mark the start of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
LACASAâs Child Abuse Prevention Council will host its annual Pinwheels for Prevention event at the Howell Carnegie District Library. CAP Council Director Deanna Norris tells WHMI the pinwheel campaign is being implemented by partners across the state and is part of a larger initiative that named the pinwheel the national symbol for child abuse prevention because itâs a happy symbol that represents the joys and hope of childhood. Norris says the theme this year is again The Power of One, in that one person has the pwoer to make a difference in a child's life. Livingston County resident Mike Foley who serves as the executive director of the Michigan Childrenâs Trust Fund will speak at the event, along with Livingston County Prosecutor Bill Vailliencourt and other guests. The Pinwheels for Prevention ceremony begins at noon Tuesday with pinwheels provided to plant as part of the garden in front of the Howell library. (JK)
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Fowlerville Schools to Sell Abandoned School BuildingFowlerville Schools to Sell Abandoned School Building
3/31/14 - A vacant building has been a drain on the Fowlerville School District, but officials are now ready to get it off the books. Parkers Corners in Iosco Township has been vacant for more than a decade since the alternative education program was moved to the districtâs main campus. Since then the vacant building has been maintained and insured, costing the district about $1,500 per year. Last week, the Fowlerville School Board authorized Superintendent Wayne Roedel to execute a purchase agreement to return the building and the roughly five acres beneath it back to the Driver Family. The building sits on a half-acre of property leased to the district for $1 in the 1950's by the Drivers, connected to more than four additional acres that were purchased by the district from the family for $1,400. Roedel says the deal to be executed will sell the property back to the family for the same amount as well as end the lease. (TD)
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Manslaughter Hearing Delayed for Former Fowlerville MomManslaughter Hearing Delayed for Former Fowlerville Mom
3/31/14 - A hearing for a former Fowlerville woman charged in Florida with the death of her infant daughter has been delayed more than a month. 23-year-old Kylee Jean Copeland had been set for a pre-trial hearing last week in Polk County Circuit Court on a manslaughter charge for the death of her 3-month-old daughter Nataley Jade Agee. But that was adjourned until May 6th. The girl was found dead in a crib at her home in Lakeland, Florida in September, 2011. An autopsy determined the cause of the death was blunt force trauma to the head, consistent with child abuse. The examiner also determined that the child had been dead for at least eight hours, which was inconsistent with Copelandâs initial story that she fed her daughter at 4am that morning and then put her back in the crib. She said her three-year-old son woke her up at 9am after finding his sister unresponsive. Copeland then changed her story and told authorities that she dropped her baby in the living room and her head struck the couch, then she bounced to the floor. She reportedly said she lied because she didnât want to lose her other children or go to jail. This is not the first incident of child neglect Copeland has been involved in. She and Trevor Agee, the father of her three children, were pulled over by a Michigan State Police trooper in August of 2008 on I-96 near Fowlerville. The trooper saw a baby boy sitting sideways in a car seat with duct tape over his mouth, which Copeland and Agee admitted to placing there to hold his pacifier in place. Authorities declined to press criminal charges and shortly afterwards, the pair moved to Florida to live with Agee's mother. Copeland then made headlines in February 2009 when she disappeared without warning, leaving her 6 month old son in the care of relatives. Although she turned up a day later, a similar situation was reported again in September of that year. (JK)
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Defense Attorney Takes His Case to The StageDefense Attorney Takes His Case to The Stage
3/31/14 - Heâs been making arguments for years as a local defense attorney, but starting this weekend Jim Buttrey will be delivering lines he didnât write. Buttrey is a Howell-based defense attorney and Harvard graduate who has represented a variety of clients, including defendants in high-profile capital cases. But he says that when the curtain goes up Friday evening in the Community Theatre of Howellâs production of âInherit the Wind,â heâll be in front of a jury heâs never faced; a theater audience. Buttrey plays the Clarence Darrow-inspired character, Henry Drummond, in the play which is based on the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial when a Tennessee high school biology teacher was charged with illegally teaching the theory of evolution. Buttrey, who has a picture of Darrow in his office, told WHMIâs Mike & Jon in the Morning that the Darrow character was the main reason he took a leap and auditioned for the production. Buttrey says the main point of the play, which was written as a criticism of McCarthy-era political witch-hunts of the 1950âs, is that everyone has a right to think for themselves. He added that while heâs been getting the attention for his role, itâs truly an ensemble performance. Opening night is Friday at 7:30, with performances Saturday evening and then Sunday afternoon, both this weekend and next. Youâll find details through the link below. (JK)
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Community Conversation at 2/42 Church Aims to "Break the Silence"Community Conversation at 2/42 Church Aims to "Break the Silence"
3/31/14 - Building a stronger community for local youth is the focus of a community conversation in the Brighton area tomorrow. Breaking the Silence â Building a Stronger Community for Our Youth aims to address issues that organizers say need to be discussed including bullying, depression and risk factors such as substance abuse within school populations that can lead to tragic outcomes in some cases such as suicide or overdose deaths. The event is sponsored by the Key Development Center in collaboration with the Livingston County United Way and Livingston Community Mental Health. A panel of speakers will address suicide risk warning signs, mental health and other topics during the community conversation. It will also feature a photo voice display of expressive art by students in high schools across Livingston County about how stress affects their lives. Parents, teens, professionals and concerned adults are encouraged to attend the event, which will run from 6 to 8:30pm Tuesday at the 2/42 Community Church on Grand River in Brighton. (JM)
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Brighton Pedestrian Killed Early Sunday in Green Oak Twp.Brighton Pedestrian Killed Early Sunday in Green Oak Twp.
3/31/14 - The pedestrian killed early Sunday after he was hit by a car in Green Oak Township has been identified. Green Oak Township Police say that 27-year-old Kevin Douglas Simon was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident which happened shortly after midnight on Sunday at the intersection of Rickett Road and Meadow Farm Drive. Chief Jason Pless says after arriving on the scene, officers learned a 33-year-old South Lyon woman had called Livingston County Central Dispatch to report she had hit a man and had then driven to her home. Their investigation indicates that the woman, who is not being identified, was driving an SUV south on Rickett Road when she struck Simon as she neared Meadow Farm Drive. Pless says Simon was walking to his home in Brighton in the southbound lane in an area with no street lights while wearing dark clothing. While there is no preliminary indication that either the driver or Simon were impaired, the investigation remains open pending autopsy results, which could take 4-6 weeks. Once their report is complete, it will be reviewed by the Livingston County Prosecutor for possible charges. (JK)
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Same-Sex Marriage Debated by Local Political CandidatesSame-Sex Marriage Debated by Local Political Candidates
3/31/14 - Two candidates seeking the 47th state House district seat are clarifying their differing positions on the issue of same-sex marriage in Michigan. Howell Mayor Phil Campbell is running as a Republican candidate for the seat and said in a press release he was profoundly disappointed by a federal judgeâs ruling that determined Michiganâs ban on same sex marriage was unconstitutional. Democratic candidate Jordan Genso says it was Campbellâs reasoning in the release that led him to call on the mayor to clarify his position in regards to inter-racial marriage. Genso says the constitutional argument in favor of marriage equality is clear in that the 14th Amendment prohibits laws that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, and other protected classes. Campbell responded to say that the comparison to the ban on interracial marriage is absurd. He said this is a needed conversation heâs happy to have it but Judge Bernard Friedmanâs ruling has removed it from the political process and shut down debate. He says the other side still offers no counter-definition of marriage that would include homosexual relationships but exclude polygamy, incest, and so on. Campbell called the ruling a fundamental denial of the public purpose of marriage, and territory that should have never been waded into. Both press releases may be viewed in their entirety through the attachments below. (JM)
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MDOT Says Freeway Construction to Start Later This SummerMDOT Says Freeway Construction to Start Later This Summer
4/1/14 - With spring here and warmer weather finally starting to arrive, orange barrels are never far behind. The Michigan Department of Transportation is getting ready for another busy construction season but the good news is that the bulk of work in Livingston County wonât occur until later in the summer. Spokeswoman Kari Arend tells WHMI the construction planned at the I-96/US-23 interchange will be the biggest project in Livingston County this season. She says while there might be some preliminary work, thereâs nothing that will really impact traffic in that area until later in the summer and early fall. As they do start up another construction season, Arend says thereâs a lot of information for motorists on the M-DOT and MI Drive websites so they can take note of any work before heading out and see when and where those orange barrels might be. (JK)
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Woman Charged In Crash Will Enter Plea And Be SentencedWoman Charged In Crash Will Enter Plea And Be Sentenced
4/1/14 - A woman facing criminal charges after she crashed her car into the porch of a local fire official is now scheduled to enter a plea and be sentenced. 41-year-old Heather Ann Belen of Webberville is facing charges of operating while intoxicated and driving on a suspended license. Court records indicate she will enter a plea and be sentenced at the same hearing tomorrow (Wednesday). Her bond has been continued, and she has been referred to the probation department so the sentencing can be handed down immediately following her plea. The charges were authorized after police say Belen crashed her Jeep into the porch area of Deputy Fowlerville Fire Chief Robert Feigâs home on West Grand River the evening of January 12th. The Fowlerville Police Department reported that Belen was traveling north on Veterans Drive when her vehicle left the roadway, crossed over Grand River and then a curb before crashing into the front porch of Feigâs home. Feig administered first aid to Belen until EMS arrived. She sustained some facial injuries and was treated from a hospital before being lodged in the Livingston County Jail. (TD)
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Officials Want Crumbling Fenton Seminary DemolishedOfficials Want Crumbling Fenton Seminary Demolished
4/1/14 - A lack of proper maintenance over time has taken its toll on a historic building in the City of Fenton that building officials say is dangerous and needs to come down as soon as possible. Fenton Building and Zoning Administrator Brad Hissong says he gave the owner multiple opportunities to rectify the situation at the historic seminary building on High Street but the condition has just continued to deteriorate further. The old seminary building on High Street is 146 years old but officials say the owner hasnât been able to keep up with needed maintenance over the years and the structure is now dangerous and crumbling, along with having sustained further water damage from a storm. Hissong says the structure is tagged and taped off but they need to move as fast as possible and also need an owner to deal with. Hissong tells WHMI heâll be in discussions with Genesee County since the building is dangerous and needs to come down or at least be rendered safe and the city attorney indicated the county would be taking it for back taxes. Hissong says they donât want the building to collapse or injure anyone and itâs a shame it got that bad but it should have been fixed a long time ago. Hissong says theyâre still open to options if someone were to come forward and provide an engineering report showing that the building is not beyond repair and can be stabilized. (JM)
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Parents Who Host Campaign Kicks Off With Strategic MeetingParents Who Host Campaign Kicks Off With Strategic Meeting
4/1/14 - Two meetings aimed at reducing substance abuse in Livingston County will be held in conjunction later this month. A gathering on April 24th will include the kickoff of this year's Parents Who Host Lose The Most campaign as well as the third meeting in a series aimed at creating a strategic substance abuse prevention plan for the county. Parents Who Host Lose The Most is a program to inform adults that providing alcohol to minors, even their own children, is illegal under Michigan social host laws. Organizers prefer to launch the campaign in the spring to coincide with prom and spring break, which Fink says are common occasions for adults to provide alcohol to students. At the same gathering, organizers trying to put together a substance abuse prevention strategic plan for the county will hold the third of four meetings. The series began late last year and has been focusing on producing a system of programs that are proven to be effective at reducing substance abuse in communities that provide them. Members of the public that attend the kickoff are invited to take part in the community conversation that follows. The two events will take place in the Hartland Educational Support Center's board room on April 24th. (TD)
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US Rep Defends Nay Vote On Russia Sanctions, Ukraine AidUS Rep Defends Nay Vote On Russia Sanctions, Ukraine Aid
4/1/14 - Despite overwhelming support on both sides of the aisle, a bill leveling sanctions against Russia and providing aid to Ukraine was opposed by one local lawmaker who says it is purely symbolic. The measure passed the US House 399-to-19 on Thursday in response to Russiaâs annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, and Milfordâs Kerry Bentivolio was one of the few dissenting votes. In a press release, he said the bill does not stop Russian President Vladimir Putin from advancing into the Ukraine. He said creating sanctions against Russia was just a symbolic gesture, âlike fighting off a bear with a rolled-up newspaper.â He says that the $60 million pledged to the Ukraine is also a symbolic gesture giving Washington politicians âa chance to pat themselves on the back.â He pointed out that the International Monetary Fund has announced standby credit for the country in the amount of $14-18 billion. He advocated what he described as âRonald Reaganâs peace through strength policy.â A similar bill has passed the US Senate 98-to-2, and should reach President Obamaâs desk within a week. It is expected to include roughly $1 billion in loan guarantees with the goal of maintaining a stable, democratic government in the Ukraine. (TD)
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Hartland Man Enters Plea in Milford CarjackingHartland Man Enters Plea in Milford Carjacking
4/1/14 - A Livingston County man has entered a plea to carjacking a motorist during a drug deal in Milford. 23-year-old Nathaniel Ashbrook of Hartland Township had been charged with armed robbery as well felony firearms and unlawful driving away of a vehicle for the incident last year. But court records indicate he agreed to plead guilty to the armed robbery and vehicle charges in exchange for the felony firearms count being dropped. Milford Police say a man entered their station in the early morning hours of June 4th, 2013 and said heâd been carjacked by two men at gunpoint. Further investigation led to the discovery of the stolen car, which they said had been intentionally crashed. 33-year-old Neal Pollman of Novi was located in the vicinity and arrested, while Ashbrook was arrested later after further interviews. Police say the alleged victim met Pollman and Ashbrook at a designated location to sell them LSD, but instead of paying him; they stole the car at gunpoint. Pollman previously pleaded guilty to unarmed robbery and was sentenced to a year in the Oakland County Jail, with credit for 275 days already served. Ashbrook will be sentenced April 17th. (JK)
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Fowlerville Schools Working On Name Change For Munn BuildingFowlerville Schools Working On Name Change For Munn Building
4/1/14 - The first announcement of a planned name change for a Fowlerville Schools building took place last month. The building currently known as Munn Middle School used to house the district's 5th and 6th graders, but around the beginning of the recession the district changed this structure to save on costs. The 5th graders were moved to the elementary school, the 6th graders were moved to the junior high, and district recreation operations and the Little Glad Childcare Center were moved into the Munn building. The district is planning to rename the district as the Munn Early Childhood Center to match the usage of the building and let the public know what programs are housed there. The school board first presented the proposed name change at its second meeting in March, where no comment was put forward by the public regarding the change. The district must present the change two more times before action can be taken to enact it, as a way of respecting history and giving the public a chance to give input on the proposal. The Munn building is located on the south side of the district's campus on Hibbard Street. (Photo courtesy of Michael Grimm - fowlervillehistory.org)
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No Fooling: Brighton Couple Celebrates 70th Wedding AnniversaryNo Fooling: Brighton Couple Celebrates 70th Wedding Anniversary
4/1/14 - Itâs no joke for a Brighton-area couple that theyâre celebrating 70 years of matrimony today. Howard and Ruth Hasbrouck were married on April 1st, 1944 while he was home on leave from the U.S. Army. Howard, who is 94, served for four years in China as a criminal investigator with the Armyâs military police. Ruth, who is 95, says they met on a blind date and married after a little more than a year after meeting. The couple lives at Independence Village in Brighton and is celebrating today with family. Their granddaughter, Charlene Hieber of Howell, said her grandparentâs marriage taught their family about giving, hard work, kindness and loving unconditionally. She added that were lucky to share a love so strong for so many years. Although the Hasbroucks have slowed down, they still enjoy playing bridge in Brighton and South Lyon as well as pool and Wii bowling. (JK)
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Brighton Man Enters Plea to High-Speed ChaseBrighton Man Enters Plea to High-Speed Chase
4/2/14 - Sentencing is set next month for a Brighton Township man who police say led them on a high-speed chase in Oakland County. 49-year-old William Smith had been set to go to trial on Monday in Oakland County Circuit Court on charges of fleeing and eluding as well as driving with a suspended license. But court records indicate that he pleaded guilty as charged to the counts and will be sentenced May 14th. The charges were filed following an incident in the early morning hours of August 3rd of last year when Bloomfield Township police say they responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in a restaurant parking lot. Officers say Smith appeared to be intoxicated, but drove off as soon as they got out of their patrol vehicle. They pursued him as he drove south on Telegraph Road, but once they confirmed his license plate near 14 Mile Road, they broke off the pursuit for safety reasons. Smith was arrested nearly three weeks later in Brighton by the Michigan State Police Fugitive Apprehension Team. (JK)
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Hartland-Deerfield Authority Actively Seeking New FirefightersHartland-Deerfield Authority Actively Seeking New Firefighters
4/2/14 - The Hartland-Deerfield Fire Authority has put out the call for applicants who want to become paid on-call firefighters. The department is seeking firefighters to help staff its Deerfield Township and Parshallville stations. Although the job is technically part-time, applicants walking in off the street will have to go through about a year of training before being considered a full firefighter. During that time they will get qualifications for other jobs, allowing them to work around the station while they finalize their firefighting and medical training. Applicants should have a high school diploma or GED, be able to perform demanding physical tasks, and be close enough and available enough to respond quickly to calls for service. Chief Adam Carroll says many fire departments have had difficulty attracting applicants. He attributes this to the growing demands of family life and the slowly-increasing commitment needed to serve at an active fire station. In addition to responding to emergency calls, firefighters will have to participate in continuous training activities and maintenance of the vehicles, equipment, and fire station. Carroll says the firefighter training program at Howell High School will mostly benefit the Howell Area Fire Department, but if the program opens up county-wide it could provide a boon to other departments as well. (TD)
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Former Lakeland Student Sentenced In 2012 Fatal CrashFormer Lakeland Student Sentenced In 2012 Fatal Crash
4/2/14 - The former Lakeland High School student charged in a drunk driving crash that killed a mother in Milford in 2012 has been sentenced to prison. Bridget McBride, who was 17 years old at the time of the crash, was charged with one count of operating while intoxicated causing death as well as one count of reckless driving causing death. She entered a no contest plea, which is not an admission of guilt but was treated as such on Tuesday during her sentencing in Oakland County Circuit Court. McBride was sentenced to serve between 2 and 15 years in prison, according to the Milford Times. Police say McBride was driving an SUV near the intersection of Milford and General Motors roads in November of 2012 when she collided head-on with a Volkswagen Jetta. The sedan was being driven by Cheryl Prewitt-Murphy, a mother of two who was pronounced dead at the scene. McBride said she was remorseful during the sentencing hearing. The victimâs mother-in-law told her that she had devastated five or six families with her actions. A civil case against McBride, her father, and others involved in the incident will go to trial in July. (TD)
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Pinwheels For Prevention Kicks Off Child Abuse Prevention MonthPinwheels For Prevention Kicks Off Child Abuse Prevention Month
4/2/14- Community members gathered on the Howell Carnegie Library lawn Tuesday afternoon to raise awareness for child abuse prevention. LACASAâS Child Abuse Prevention Council kicked off April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month in Livingston County with their âPinwheels For Preventionâ ceremony. The 6th annual event invited attendees to plant pinwheels on the libraryâs lawn to show support for Livingston County children and families. The pinwheel, which was declared as a symbol of the joys of childhood six years ago, is also a national symbol of the importance of child abuse prevention. Deanna Norris, LACASAâS CAP Council Director, tells WHMI there are several preventative steps anyone can take. Norris says several pinwheel gardens will be springing up across the county and a state-wide ceremony will be taking place April 22nd. Lansing will host a similar event with several speakers on the capital steps, followed by a march a block down the road to plant the pinwheels in a roundabout in front of the capital. (DK)
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