12/3/12 - A local education agency is calling on the US Legislature to resolve the fiscal cliff issue before it devastates schools and educational services nationwide. The Livingston Educational Service Agency Board of Education has passed a resolution asking Congress to amend the Budget Control Act of 2011, which would automatically trigger tax increases and spending cuts at the end of the year. The board says the act, commonly known as the âfiscal cliff,â would reduce education funding by more than 8% and be detrimental to the quality of education received by millions of students across the country. The board says the fiscal cliff would reduce funding to LESAâs own programs and services by more than $700,000. In a press release today, LESA Superintendent David Campbell said there has not been enough attention paid to how the fiscal cliff will impact education and the LESA board felt it was necessary to express their concerns. (TD)
LESA Calls On Congress To Resolve Looming "Fiscal Cliff"LESA Calls On Congress To Resolve Looming "Fiscal Cliff"
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Hartland Board To Vote On New User-Friendly Zoning Ordinance
12/4/12 - A new zoning ordinance will go before the Hartland Township Board for approval tonight. According to a press release, township staff began working on the new ordinance in the early part of this year in an attempt to make it quicker and easier for residents, business owners, and developers to get the information they need. Staff members clarified, consolidated, and removed conflicting language from the existing ordinance. In comparison, the new ordinance is simplified, graphics-based, and interactive to be more user-friendly and accessible. The online version will also include an updated, interactive zoning map of the township. If it is approved, the new ordinance will be available at the townshipâs website. Regardless of the boardâs actions tonight, the process of creating the new ordinance brought to light a number of other problems in the old ordinance that go beyond simple housekeeping measures. Those issues will be addressed in 2013. (TD)
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Settlement in The Works in Suit Between Howell & Developer
12/4/12 - A settlement is being sought in a lawsuit between the City of Howell and a development company. City Manager Shea Charles tells WHMI that the settlement process has already started between the city and the Highland-Howell Development Group LLC. He says the settlement process is ongoing and City Council has directed staff to pursue settlement paperwork. Court records indicate that the case has been settled per the attorney representing the developer. A final closing order must now be presented to the court or the parties will have to appear for a miscellaneous hearing on February 28th. The litigation began when Howell-Highland Development sued the city, claiming it had breached an agreement to build a loop road around the downtown that would have opened up the southern area for development, which was necessary for the project to move forward. The city counter-sued seeking to terminate the agreement and recoup the $1.6 million it paid toward the projectâs design and engineering cost. The city says it met its obligations and that the developers failed to address issues with the Michigan Department of Transportation over an environmental assessment. The city also says a final site plan was never submitted to the planning commission. (TD)
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Howell City Council Closer To Selling Former Lucy Road Landfill
12/4/12- Howell City Council approved a Post Closure Plan with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) that takes them one step closer to selling the former Lucy Road landfill. The city acquired the property in the 80's and discovered that it was contaminated. The City has since been working with the MDEQ to remediate the landfill. The agreement council approved states the cityâs plans for monitoring the closed landfill and its contamination levels to ensure that the contamination doesnât spread further. The MDEQ requires this agreement before the closed landfill can be used for other purposes.
Next, Council will seek a No Further Action Report from the State of Michigan that will show the city has remediated the property according to the statesâ standards. Once received, the city will be able to move forward with selling the property, which will be redeveloped into a metal recycling facility by developer Vern Brockway. (SO)
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Local Student Trumpets Donations For Educational TripLocal Student Trumpets Donations For Educational Trip
12/4/12 - A Parker Middle School student is working to raise funds for an educational trip to Australia by sharing his musical talents with the community. 8th grader Jacob Rushlow was nominated to take part in the People to People program, an ambassador program that sends American students to study in foreign countries. If he can raise the money to participate he will go to Australia in the summer, and he has chosen an unconventional fundraising method to start earning the $8,000 he will need. Rushlow plays trumpet in the schoolâs jazz band, and last Saturday he started playing Christmas carols in front of Razzmatazz Toys in Howell and the Brighton Bar and Grill for tips. He tells WHMI that he started his new gig after selling candy provided disappointing profits, and the reception has been excellent. He says store owners have told him they enjoy his playing and he has garnered compliments from locals. In four two-hour sessions, Rushlow has already earned about $300 toward his trip by playing songs such as Deck the Halls, Silent Night, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Rushlow says he does not know what he will do to raise money after Christmas, but he plans to keep playing right up until the holiday. Anyone who would like to contact Rushlow to find out more about the program or to make a donation can e-mail him at jrrushlow@me.com. (TD)
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County Approves $50,000 To Relocate Female Prisoners In 2013County Approves $50,000 To Relocate Female Prisoners In 2013
12/4/12 - With overcrowding presenting a constant problem in the Livingston County Jail, the Board of Commissioners last night approved spending up to $50,000 next year to house female inmates at other correctional facilities. Women represent the fastest-growing segment of the jail population. The county jail was built to sleep 31 female inmates but according to Commissioner Dave Domas, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, that number is regularly exceeded and occasionally approaches 50. The county is currently sending female prisoners to Montcalm County, which is located northeast of Grand Rapids and has room to spare in its county jail. The county pays Montcalm a daily fee ranging from $24 to about $40 per prisoner to pay for room and board. Domas says even this option is limited since the only prisoners who can take advantage of it are minimum- or medium-security women who have already been sentenced, are not violent offenders, and have no special medical needs. He says designs are currently being considered for an expanded Livingston County Jail that would provide more housing for all inmates, including females. (TD)
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Unadilla Police Investigating Theft & Torching of SUVUnadilla Police Investigating Theft & Torching of SUV
12/4/12 - Unadilla Township Police believe that recently reported arson, vehicle and garage thefts are connected. Unadilla Police were investigating the reported vehicle theft involving a shotgun and hunting gear as well as two breaking and entering complaints in which tools were stolen from garages. All three incidents occurred on San Juan Court and police say the vehicle theft occurred between 11:30pm Sunday night and 3:30am Monday morning. Not long afterward, Washtenaw County sheriffâs deputies investigating a âshots firedâ complaint on Boyce Road between Joslin Lake and Roepke Roads in Lyndon Township, discovered the stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee fully engulfed in flames in a swamp about 100 feet from the roadway. The vehicle contents, including high-end electronic equipment, were missing from the SUV. Up to a $6,000 reward is being offered by Michigan Arson Control and Crimestoppers for any information that leads to an arrest and conviction. Information may also be provided anonymously to the Unadilla Township Police Department. Details are posted below. (JM)
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Genoa Township Board Approves SAD For Weed Control On Lakes Genoa Township Board Approves SAD For Weed Control On Lakes
12/4/12 - After weeks of conspiracy theories and controversies, the Genoa Township Board voted 4-2 Monday night to levy a special assessment district for weed control on East and West Crooked Lakes. Board members Jim Mortenson and Linda Rowell voted against the resolution, saying they were unhappy with the SAD process and felt new petitions should be circulated and signed with very specific language as to how the weeds should be controlled. Other members felt the language was clarified sufficiently and hope the district provides the association with the needed mechanism to handle weed control. Some residents have been up in arms over the proposed use of chemicals to control an invasive weed species taking over the lakes, the formation of the new East and West Crooked Lakes Riparian Association and the entire SAD process. Others say there is no perfect solution to the problem but the SAD is a first step to alleviating the degradation of the lakes. The invasive Eurasian Milfoil species is said to be very aggressive and many agree it needs to be addressed but how to do so has been a battle between those affected. Members of the newly formed East and West Crooked Lakes Riparian Association say the matter was thoroughly investigated with the goal being to provide weed control through various methods, noting that chemicals are not the sole solution. The special assessment district levy includes anyone deemed to receive a benefit and will cost around $55 per year for five years, generating roughly $100,000 total for aquatic weed control. (JM)
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Enbridge Pays For Extra Land To Speed Up Airport Crossing
12/4/12 - The Enbridge Pipeline will pay Livingston County more than $36,000 to make use of some additional land as it crosses the Spencer J. Hardy Airport. That deal was approved by the County Commission last night. The pipeline was given a seven-day window to cross the airportâs runway, and Airport Manager Mark Johnson tells WHMI that the company found it could save time by using a 1.85-acre plot of land to preassemble sections of pipe. Enbridge will combine the segments into pieces three times longer than normal before placing them. With that accomplished, workers will only have to make three welds after putting the segments in the ground as opposed to nine, speeding up the process considerably. Johnson says it is not known how much time this will shave off the process, but he confirms that the $36,000 price tag for the pipeline company is in keeping with the amount it paid per acre in the original agreement to cross the airport. (TD)
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Input Sought For City Of Fenton At Community Visioning Forum Input Sought For City Of Fenton At Community Visioning Forum
12/4/12 - Community members are being asked to weigh in on the City of Fentonâs future. The city is hosting a visioning forum Wednesday, December 5th and officials say input from all elements of the community is essential in creating a strategic plan for Fentonâs future. Citizens are being asked to weigh in on what improvements they want to see in the community as well as what they want the City of Fenton to look like in the next 10 years. Officials say the vision and goal setting session will provide a basis the City Council can compare with previous discussions and then develop a final community strategic plan. The forum will take place in the cafeteria of the Andrew G. Schmidt Middle School on Donaldson Drive Wednesday at 6pm. Dinner and child care will be provided. Details can be found through the link below. (JM)
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Howell City Council Works On Updating Blight OrdinanceHowell City Council Works On Updating Blight Ordinance
12/4/12- Howell City Council continues to discuss ways to better regulate blighted properties in the community.
Members spent the majority of last nightâs regular meeting going through a list of faults with properties that need to be acknowledged in the cityâs Blight Ordinance. These issues range from deterioration and yard maintenance to unfinished construction projects. Mayor Phillip Campbell says the reason for increased issues with blight in the city is due to the fact that fixing up the house isn't a homeowner's top priority in this economy. Council will continue to fine tune the wording and motives of the updated Blight Ordinance until it meets the needs of the city. Members believe that the ordinance will be easier to enforce when the amendments are complete. (SO)
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Pinckney Man Stabbed to Death in Domestic DisputePinckney Man Stabbed to Death in Domestic Dispute
12/4/12 - Police say a Pinckney man was stabbed to death Saturday in Oakland County after being confronted by the husband of a woman he was visiting. 34-year-old Charles Shiffman died after being stabbed multiple times in the front yard of a Rose Township home at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Authorities say the home was where a 31-year-old female acquaintance lived with her husband, who also stabbed her and then forced her inside his car and fled the area. State Police say he was heading towards Livingston County along a back road when troopers stopped the vehicle and took the suspect into custody. His wife was hospitalized for her wounds, which were not life-threatening. Shiffman's estranged wife, Michelle Shiffman, told the Free Press that her husband, a landscaper, and the woman were longtime friends, and he was responding to her call for help in an abusive situation. The suspect is lodged in the Oakland County Jail on a charge of assault with intent to murder. He is expected to be arraigned today in 52-2 District Court in Clarkston.
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Vigil Set Tonight in Memory of Linden StudentVigil Set Tonight in Memory of Linden Student
12/5/12 - A vigil is planned tonight to honor the memory of Linden High School student whose parents say took his own life after being bullied for his sexual preference. Hundreds attended 17-year-old Josh Pachecoâs funeral this past Saturday. He was a junior at Linden High School and committed suicide at his Fenton home November 27th. His mother and stepfather say they didnât find out about the bullying until after his death when contacted by friends and parents saying he had been pushed into lockers and teased at school. She told MLive.com that her son was gay and that led to him being bullied both inside and outside of school. The Linden district is now working to address bullying and suicide and possible new programs to help students feel more comfortable talking to administrators. Superintendent Ed Koledo said just because there were no reports of Pacheco being bullied doesnât mean it doesnât exist and discussions are underway to bring in speakers to address bullying and suicide. The district also stepped up implementation of a bullying hotline following Pachecoâs death. The Eagle Hotline offers a tool for students to text incidents of bullying they may have witnessed or experienced to 810-373-2131. Meanwhile, Linden High School students plan to gather and remember Pacheco at a vigil. Itâs planned at 6:00 tonight at the Mill Pond gazebo.
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Suspects Charged with Jewelry Thefts in Milford & White LakeSuspects Charged with Jewelry Thefts in Milford & White Lake
12/5/12 - Two suspects caught after police say they stole jewelry from a house in Milford Township are due back in court today. 38-year-olds Jason Weeks and James Golding, both of White Lake Township, are charged with one count each of second-degree home invasion and receiving and concealing stolen property. Milford Police Chief Thomas Lindberg said members of the Oakland County Sheriffâs Office Fugitive Apprehension Team conducting surveillance November 28th witnessed Weeks and Golding enter a house in Milford Township. Authorities pulled them over after they left the house and found several pieces of jewelry in their vehicle. They also had walkie-talkies, which police say they used to communicate with each other while they committed felonies. The pair was also seen earlier in the day at a house in White Lake Township. Weeks and Golding, who are being held on a $25,000 cash bond, have a pre-exam conference today in Oakland County District Court. If convicted, they could face up to 15 years in prison. (JK)
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LACASA Gearing Up For 11th Annual Holiday Fundraising Gala LACASA Gearing Up For 11th Annual Holiday Fundraising Gala
12/5/12 - A sparkly holiday evening is planned next week that offers community members a chance to give back to a local non-profit that works every day to help vulnerable individuals with nowhere left to turn. Tickets are on sale now for LACASAâs âDeck the Hallsâ, which officials say is a nice holiday party to kick off the season and raise funds to provide help and hope for victims and survivors of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault. This is the 11th year of the event and will be held in the home of longtime LACASA supporters John and Lisa Boland on Woodland Lake in Brighton. Development Director Julie Smith says the demand for LACASAâs crisis shelter, childrenâs programs and counseling services have been at an all-time high this year and the event offers a great way to get into the holiday spirit while helping LACASA continue to provide services at no charge to those in need. âDeck the Hallsâ is black tie preferred and will feature food, beverages, live music and a holiday raffle extravaganza with prizes from jewelry and artwork to spa treatments and movie passes. Smith adds that Menâs Warehouse in the Green Oak Village Place Mall is also offering a $40 discount to anyone who rents a tuxedo for the event, $5 of which goes directly to LACASA. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased online through the link below or by calling LACASA at (517) 548-1350. (JM)
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Negotiations Begin For Roedel As New Fowlerville SuperintendentNegotiations Begin For Roedel As New Fowlerville Superintendent
12/5/12 - The Fowlerville Public School Board voted last night to begin negotiations to hire a new superintendent. The current superintendent Richard Heinrich will retire at the end of the school year, and the board has decided to hire Assistant Superintendent Wayne Roedel to replace him on July 1st. Last night, the board authorized the districtâs personnel committee to begin contract negotiations with Roedel for the position. Roedel has been with the district for eight years, first as the assistant principal of Fowlerville High School and later as principal. He succeeded Don Buggia as the assistant superintendent in July and, if the contract negotiations are finished in time, should be approved as the next superintendent at the school boardâs next meeting on December 17th. He will train with Heinrich for the next six months to prepare to assume office. Heinrich tells WHMI that Roedel is perfectly placed to take over for him in July because of his position, experience, and connection to the district which will allow for a smooth transition of leadership. Roedel says Fowlerville is an excellent district in which to work and become invested. Heinrich says he plans to move into the private sector after retiring from the district. (TD)
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FEMA Grant Provides More Than $15,000 in Food & Shelter FundingFEMA Grant Provides More Than $15,000 in Food & Shelter Funding
12/5/12 - Livingston County has been awarded nearly $16,000 in federal funds to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county. A local board will now decide how that money should be distributed among the different service organizations in Livingston County. Only private, voluntary non-profit groups or units of government qualify to receive funds under the grant, which was in the amount of $15,878. Among other criteria, they must demonstrate they have the ability to deliver emergency food and or shelter programs and have an accounting system in place and practice non-discrimination. Funding requests for the Set-Aside funds will be accepted no later than Friday, December 14th at the Livingston County United Way office, 2980 Dorr Road, Brighton, Michigan 48116. For more information contact Nancy Rosso at 810-494-3000 or nrosso@lcunitedway.org. (JK)
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Suspect Arraigned in Stabbing Death of Pinckney Man
12/5/12 - A suspect has been arraigned for the stabbing death of a Pinckney man over the weekend. 37-year-old Ronald Lewis Kennedy is charged with 2nd degree murder and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder for an incident Saturday at a home in Rose Township, near Holly. State Police say Kennedy stabbed 34-year-old Charles Shiffman several times after finding him at the house with his wife, 31-year-old Jessica Kennedy. He also stabbed his wife and then forced her into a car before fleeing the area. He was later stopped by police and arrested. Jessica Kennedy was treated for non-life threatening injuries. Shiffman, who died at the scene of the stabbing, was reportedly a longtime friend of Mrs. Kennedy who had called him to help with an abusive situation. Services for him are set for 11am Friday at the Mowen Funeral Home in Owosso. Kennedy is lodged in the Oakland County Jail without bond. He is due back in Oakland County District Court in Clarkston on December 11th. (JK)
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New Pinckney Library Escapes Damage Following Small FireNew Pinckney Library Escapes Damage Following Small Fire
12/5/12 - Just days before its planned dedication and opening, the new Pinckney Library had a small fire break out earlier today. Putnam Fire Chief Greg Amburgey tells WHMI that his department was doing a routine fire inspection in preparation of the libraryâs opening next week when someone noticed smoke coming from the roof of the building. It was determined that a rooftop furnace had caught fire, but posed no danger to the building or the community. The fire put itself out when power was cut to the unit. Amburgey says maintenance crews are tracking down and fixing the problem, which should not affect the libraryâs scheduled opening. The new building was made possible after voters approved a bond proposal last year to repurpose and renovate the former Village Education Center building on Putnam Street. A dedication will take place on Saturday before the libraryâs âsoft openingâ on Monday, which will include tours of the building. Work to bring the library p to full capacity will continue until a grand opening on January 21st. Follow the link posted below to visit the official blog for the new Pinckney Library, which features photos, videos, and information about the project. (TD)
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Dio Theater Poised for Community Debut of Original Holiday Musical Dio Theater Poised for Community Debut of Original Holiday Musical
12/5/12 - After finding itself a home for the holidays, a local theater group will present its original musical to the community this weekend. This Friday marks the opening night of âHome for the Holidaysâ, a family musical being presented by The Dionysus Theatre and Performing Arts Academy. The professional theater company is excited to make its debut in the community and reached an agreement to use the new Hartland High School auditorium on Dunham Road for its first production after things fell through for a permanent location in the City of Brighton. Artistic Director and actor Steve DeBruyne says itâs a very interactive, staged production that was both conceived and written locally - sort of a âshow within a showâ. He says the music is great and the cast sounds amazing, noting all of the actors are paid professionals who are doing this not only because they love it but because itâs their job, which he says makes for a quality performance. DeBruyne tells WHMI they did a lot of research on holiday music that people love both old and new and then wrote an original story around it and theyâre really pleased with what they have in store for the community. Tickets are on sale now for âHome for the Holidaysâ with 12 performances scheduled through December 23rd. They can be purchased online or at the door. More information can be found through the link below. (JM)
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