7/14/14 - The Michigan State Police in Brighton will be hosting a special training event next month to help residents survive attacks by armed intruders. The program is called ALICE, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate. Created in the wake of the Columbine incident, the course is designed to certify individuals to go back to their homes, businesses, or places of worship and instruct others on the strategies to survive an armed intrusion. On August 14th and 15tgh, a training course for ALICE will be held at the Brighton Post of the Michigan State Police. Trooper Andrew Knapp says in a school shooting incident, it will take police an average of 6 to 8 minutes to arrive, and for every minute that passes on average 2 people will be killed and another 8 will be injured. ALICE aims to improve the survivability of those situations both actively and passively. Knapp tells WHMI ALICE is mainly for schools, but others benefit from it as well. Police officers take the course to understand how civilians will behave in such a situation, and large businesses and hospitals often send people to get trained as well. The cost is $495 per person, and coursework will run from 8am to 4pm on both days. For more information, contact Knapp at (810) 227-1051 or by emailing knappa3@michigan.gov. Picture courtesy of ALICE Training Institute. (TD)
Training Helps Schools & Others Prepare for Active ShootersTraining Helps Schools & Others Prepare for Active Shooters
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Backpack & School Supply Drive Continues Through SummerBackpack & School Supply Drive Continues Through Summer
7/14/14 - The Livingston Educational Service Agency is collecting supplies for its annual Backpacks for Kids program. Every year, LESA collects backpacks and school supplies through the summer which are then distributed free of charge to hundreds of children from around the county before the beginning of the school year. This will be the 14th year the program has taken place in Livingston County, and collection for the event is now underway. Organizers say they are in need of sturdy backpacks, spiral notebooks, two-pocket folders, three-ring loose leaf paper, pens, highlighters, scissors, and other common school supplies. A full list of needed materials can be found on the LESA Facebook page. Donations can be delivered Monday through Thursday from 7:30am to 4pm at the LESA Administration building, located at 1425 West Grand River, west of downtown Howell. For more information, call (517) 540-6833. (TD/JK)
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Medical Volunteer Group Gets Federal RecognitionMedical Volunteer Group Gets Federal Recognition
7/14/14 - Federal recognition has upgraded the local Public Health Volunteer Response Team to a medical reserve corps. The group is made up of more than 250 local medical and non-medical personnel who conduct emergency preparedness training and help respond to real public health emergencies. The new designation is federal recognition of the groupâs organization, experience, and dedication. With that recognition, the group gains improved access to government funding, closer cooperation with governmental units, and participation in education and training opportunities. The group has renamed itself the Livingston County Medical Reserve Corps to reflect its new status. Those interested in volunteering can find contact information on our website. (TD)
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Brighton Millpond Weed Harvesting Work Begins TuesdayBrighton Millpond Weed Harvesting Work Begins Tuesday
7/14/14 - In an effort to help control aquatic weeds that multiply over time, harvesting will be done at a popular attraction in downtown Brighton this week. The City of Brightonâs contractor will be harvesting weeds from the northern portion of the Brighton Millpond. It's become choked with weeds, sediment and other materials that have accumulated over the years. Given the limited availability of funds, algae treatments and weed harvesting are some of the more budget friendly methods the City is pursuing to attack the problem, which will help improve the appearance and health of the Millpond. The work will begin tomorrow and if additional time is needed, harvesting will continue through Wednesday. (JM)
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Genoa Township Board Approves Increased SELCRA Contribution Genoa Township Board Approves Increased SELCRA Contribution
7/14/14 - Citing the organizationâs abilities and efficiencies, the Genoa Township Board approved participation rate changes as proposed by the South Eastern Livingston County Recreation Authority at its most recent meeting. Members unanimously approved the recommended rate change, contingent upon all other municipalities doing the same. Genoa Townshipâs annual contribution is $31,077. Supervisor Gary McCririe tells WHMI SELCRA provides a valuable asset to the community and recreation is something the board has deemed of significant importance. The SELCRA board recently voted to raise the annual per-participant municipal rate from $23 to $27. Officials say SELCRA can no longer maintain the current level of high quality, low cost services with the same contribution amount from member municipalities. Those include the City of Brighton, as well as Brighton, Genoa, and Green Oak Townships. The increase is expected to cover a budget deficit of $20,000 projected for the upcoming year, although officials say itâs only a short term remedy. Genoa Township board members commented during the meeting that they didnât know how the organization has managed to operate as efficiently for as long as it has without any increase. (JM)
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Alleged Drunk Driver Hits Hamburg Township Police Patrol CarAlleged Drunk Driver Hits Hamburg Township Police Patrol Car
7/15/14 - A Howell woman is facing multiple charges after hitting a Hamburg Township Police patrol car while allegedly driving drunk on Friday night. The incident happened around 11:30pm when an officer was on an un-related traffic stop on M-36, just east of Giraud Drive. Hamburg Township Police Chief Rick Duffany tells WHMI the officer had already approached the first car he stopped and had returned to his vehicle to run checks on the plate and occupant when the crash happened. He says the 27-year-old Howell woman was traveling eastbound on M-36 when she sideswiped the patrol car, causing significant damage to the front end and proceeded to leave the scene. Duffany says the officerâs vehicle was still drivable and his lights were already activated from the initial stop so he activated his sirens and attempted to pull over the woman. He says the woman continued driving for about a quarter mile down M-36 and through the Chilson Commons shopping center before finally stopping near the Hamburg Coney Island. The Howell woman was lodged in the Livingston County Jail and charges of leaving the scene of an accident as well as fleeing and eluding a police officer have been authorized. The woman is also charged under Michiganâs super drunk law, meaning she had at least a .17% blood alcohol content. The officer involved was not injured and Duffany says heâs actually one of the departmentâs leading officers when it comes to drunk driving enforcement. Duffany says the officer has been recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for the past two years and this incident is just another illustration of how dangerous drunk drivers can be. (JM)
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Residents Flock To Open House For Info On New PipelineResidents Flock To Open House For Info On New Pipeline
7/15/14 - Hundreds of residents visited the Fenton Township Hall last night to find information on the new natural gas pipeline being proposed to pass through Michigan. The ET Rover Pipeline would move natural gas from Pennsylvania t areas like Ontario and Chicago, passing through Ohio and Michigan. The pre-filing application for the pipeline has been submitted, and although the company has a rough idea of where it will go the plans are subject to change. Most residents came to the open house specifically to find out if the ET Rover would pass through their property. They were able to view specific details of the proposal, but many were unhappy and called the purpose of the meeting into question since the actual route used by the pipeline could vary significantly from these preliminary plans. Although the pipeline will generally follow the Enbridge oil pipeline that passed through several years ago, there are deviations from that route. Some residents who were not impacted by Enbridge found out the ET Rover pipeline is planned to pass through their property, while some who were hit by the first pipeline learned they would not be hit by the new one. The final proposal for the pipeline should be submitted in January, and if it is approved, construction would pass through Michigan in 2017. (TD)
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Three Suspects in Custody After Jewelry Store Smash & GrabThree Suspects in Custody After Jewelry Store Smash & Grab
7/15/14 - Three suspects involved in a jewelry store robbery were taken into custody after a high profile search effort during the evening commute. The smash and grab incident was reported around 5:30pm Monday at Rottermond Jewelers located at 102 East Main Street in Brighton. Brighton Police Chief Tom Wightman tells WHMI three black male suspects broke the glass and stole a number of high end watches. He says they left the scene in a vehicle, which was eventually abandoned before the suspects fled on foot in the area of Grand River and I-96. One suspect was apprehended not long after the incident but police from multiple agencies set up a large perimeter and brought in a K-9 unit in an attempt to locate the other two, who were finally found hiding in a dumpster near I-96 and Citation Drive. Some reports indicated the suspects abandoned the vehicle after going the wrong way on the freeway ramp from northbound US-23 to eastbound I-96, which was shut down while the search ensued. Wightman says there was no information to indicate the suspects were armed and the vehicle involved was also taken into custody. Wightman says they have yet to do a full inventory but itâs believed that all of the stolen property was recovered. (JM)
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Multiple Police Agencies Investigating Suicide Shooting on US-23 Multiple Police Agencies Investigating Suicide Shooting on US-23
7/15/14 - Police say a man who took his own life on the freeway in Green Oak Township was the same suspect wanted in connection with a stabbing incident earlier in the day in a nearby community. Washtenaw County Sheriffâs Department Spokesman Derrick Jackson says deputies received a call about a stabbing in Ypsilanti Township around 3:40pm Monday and responded to the scene to find that the victim had been stabbed several times, including once in the neck. The stabbing victim was hospitalized but is expected to make a full recovery. Jackson tells WHMI the suspect fled the scene before deputies arrived but they were able to get a pretty good description of the suspectâs vehicle and issued a be-on-the-lookout advisory. Jackson says when a Northfield Township Police officer spotted the vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop before the suspect shot himself. Although the Northfield officer initiated the stop, the incident happened in Green Oak Township and as such, Green Oak Police Chief Jason Pless told WHMI they will be handling the suicide portion of the investigation. There were extreme back-ups reported on northbound US-23 as a result of the police activity and related investigation that happened right before the evening commute. Closures were put in place at both Barker Road and 8 Mile Road and the freeway finally re-opened to traffic around 6:30pm. (JM)
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Legal Seminar For Medicaid Planning To Be Offered This WeekLegal Seminar For Medicaid Planning To Be Offered This Week
7/15/14 - Legal seminars on Medicaid planning will be offered this week for local seniors. The Nawrocki Center for Elder Law, Special Needs and Disability Planning will hold the free seminar twice this week, once today and again on Thursday. According to the law center 40% of seniors will go into nursing homes, and during the seminars attorneys will discuss what happens to the families of those nursing homes patients and how their costs are handled. The first seminar will take place today from 10 to 11:30am, and the second is scheduled for Thursday from 6:30 to 8pm. Both will be held in the community rooms of St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Howell. The meetings are free but space is limited, so those interested in participating are encouraged to reserve a spot. They can call (866) 737-5007 or follow the link below for more information. (TD)
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Attorney's Briefcase Stolen From Inside Brighton Courtroom
7/15/14 - âLosing a caseâ got a whole new meeting at the Brighton courts yesterday when an attorneyâs briefcase was stolen from inside the courtroom. The case, which contained important legal documents and a laptop computer, was reported missing by attorney Chad Kotrba (KO-ter-buh). He left it in the courtroom, which is lined with at least half a dozen security cameras, while he was called back to the judgeâs chambers and negotiating cases in the private rooms off the hallway. He says at most ten minutes had gone by before he realized the briefcase was not where he had left it. He added that the courtroom was crowded at the time, and any number of people could have taken it. A police report has been filed, and surveillance footage is being reviewed to identify the thief. The briefcase is described as a brown leather Franklin portfolio, and it had been a gift to Kotrba when he graduated from law school. If the case is spotted, Kotrba can be contacted at ckotrba@gmail.com. UPDATE: Police report the briefcase has been recovered. (TD)
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Brighton School Upgrades in Full Swing As Part of Bond IssueBrighton School Upgrades in Full Swing As Part of Bond Issue
7/15/14 - Summer may be time for school students to take a break from their studies, but several schools in the Brighton Area School District are a beehive of activity. Workers are busy with another phase of the $89 million bond issue passed by the voters in 2012. Superintendent Greg Gray tells WHMI that elementary schools and Maltby Intermediate are getting the lionâs share of activity with major upgrades in facilities, equipment and classroom tools. The work is part of the second phase of the bond issue following the sale of the second series of municipal bonds last December, which encompasses most remaining aspects of the bond issue. The school district was originally going to go to the bond market to sell the bonds several months prior to that, but decided to hold off because at the time, local governments were feeling a ripple effect from Detroitâs financial problems, and interest rates werenât favorable. The decision to wait turned out to be a wise one, since the interest savings for district taxpayers will be in the millions of dollars. The only bonds remaining to be sold from the overall l bond issue now are the last series of technology bonds, totaling $4.6 million. The âtechâ upgrades are being added incrementally because technology becomes obsolete so rapidly in the 21st Century. (TT)
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Court Hearing Delayed for Road Rage Assault SuspectCourt Hearing Delayed for Road Rage Assault Suspect
7/15/14 - A father and son from Hamburg Township who police say chased and assaulted another man in a road rage incident are due back in court together next week. 28-year-old Nathan Marcum had been due in court on Monday for a pretrial hearing on charges of aggravated assault and reckless driving, but that was adjourned until Monday the 21st. Thatâs the same day his father, 52-year-old Daniel Marcum, is also due back in court for a pretrial hearing on aggravated assault charges. The charges stem from an incident June 28th that began in the vicinity of westbound Grand River and Latson Road in Genoa Township. Witnesses reported seeing a pick-up truck traveling at high speeds, weaving in and out of traffic. Police say a 56-year-old Howell man tried to get away and ran a red light before pulling into the parking lot of a business near Grand Oaks Drive. The Marcums are alleged to have cut across Grand River, exited their vehicle, and proceeded to assault the victim. They fled a short time later after being advised that police were coming. Witnesses were able to get a license plate number along with descriptions of the suspects and their vehicle, which led police to the Marcums.(JK)
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Test Scores Improve for Brighton Students, Top CountyTest Scores Improve for Brighton Students, Top County
7/15/14 - Michigan Merit Exam test scores for Brighton High School students have improved this year, and top all other public school district in Livingston County. The Michigan Merit curriculum requires students to obtain a minimum of 16 credits in order to earn a high school diploma. Part of the curriculum is an annual Michigan Merit Exam testing of high school juniors, who are required to take a standardized test in the spring to gauge their academic progress. According to Brighton Superintendent Greg Gray, the ACT composite for the 544 Brighton 11th-graders who took the required test was 22.3 and the percentage of the students pronounced âcollege-readyâ is 33.8. That compares favorably with the state average of 19.8 in the ACT score and 17.8 as the percentage who are college-ready. The average for all 2,251 Livingston County 11th-graders administered the test was 22.6 per cent college-ready and 20.8 for the ACT composite score. Neighboring South Lyon had 22.2 for its ACT composite score, with 29.1 per cent of South Lyon students deemed college-ready. That district is mostly in Oakland County but a portion is in Livingston County. Brighton also scored higher than other Livingston County districts in the individual subject areas: English, math, reading, and science. Gray tells WHMI that while district administrators are happy with Brightonâs Michigan Merit Exam test scores, they will not be satisfied until they rise to the elite level. However, most of the elite school districts which scored in the 24-and-up range in the ACT composite â Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills, for instance - receive far more tax dollars than Brighton. Gray says as a result, the challenge for him is getting the most bang for Brightonâs buck. (TT)
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Pinckney Police Officer Retires After 14 Years Of ServicePinckney Police Officer Retires After 14 Years Of Service
7/15/14 - A part time officer of the Pinckney Police Department will be retiring after 14 years of service. Les Rodwell announced his retirement and shared his gratitude at a Pinckney Village Council Meeting last night. Rodwell says he is grateful for the opportunity to pursue his dreams with the Pinckney Police Department that was given to him back in 2000. He tells WHMI his plan to retire comes from wanting the best for the community. Rodwell began his trade with his desire to work for the Police Department back in high school. He joined the Howell Reserves in 1983 and continued on to the Police Academy at Oakland later that year. After becoming a certified officer, Les stayed with the Reserve Department until 1986 and was soon hired in as a full time officer. Over the years, Rodwell has moved back and forth between the Police and Fire Department and says he will miss serving the Village of Pinckney and its community. While Les will be moving on from the field of police work, he is still going strong as Deputy Chief and Fire Marshall at the Howell Area Fire Department. (DK)
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Police Release Surveillance Video of Jewelry Store Smash & Grab
7/15/14 - Police have released surveillance video of Mondayâs smash and grab theft at Rottermond Jewelers in downtown Brighton. Police say two suspects entered the store on Main Street at around 5:45pm and one spoke with a sales clerk while the other located the display case containing high priced watches. The surveillance video released shows one of the suspects breaking the glass of a display case with several blows from a mini sledge hammer. The two men can be seen removing several watches from the case before fleeing to a vehicle that was waiting and being driven by a third suspect. The three fled the area onto I-96 but were quickly spotted by an off-duty Dearborn Heights officer who notified Livingston Central Dispatch. A Green Oak Township officer then blocked their path when they turned the wrong way onto the northbound US-23 ramp to I-96. The driver was immediately apprehended, but the other two suspects fled east into a wooded area and were later found hiding in a nearby dumpster by Brighton Police. All the stolen watches were recovered and the three suspects were lodged in the Livingston County Jail, where theyâre currently awaiting arraignment on criminal charges to be determined by the Livingston County Prosecutorâs Office. he apprehension of the suspects was said to be a joint operation of numerous jurisdictions including the Brighton Police Department, Green Oak Township Police Department, Hamburg Township Police Department, Livingston County Sheriffâs Department, and Michigan State Police at the Brighton Post. (JM)
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Local Man Suspected in Stabbing Commits Suicide on US-23Local Man Suspected in Stabbing Commits Suicide on US-23
7/15/14 - It appears it was a Howell man that was wanted in connection with a stabbing incident in Ypsilanti who later took his own life on a local freeway. Dispatchers issued a be-on-the-lookout advisory shortly after a stabbing incident Monday afternoon at Mike's Welding and Fabrications on Ecorse Road. A Northfield Township police officer noticed a vehicle matching the description provided and attempted to stop the 46-year-old Howell man, who is said to have shot himself with a 9-mm handgun right after pulling his vehicle onto the side of northbound US-23 near Eight Mile Road in Green Oak Township. The area was treated as a crime scene and was closed to traffic during the evening commute for investigation. Green Oak Township Police Chief Jason Pless tells WHMI per normal practice, the department is not releasing the name of the suicide victim. Meanwhile, the Washtenaw County Sheriffâs Office continues to investigate the original incident in which a 36-year-old Ypsilanti Township man was stabbed several times. He remains hospitalized in stable condition and a motive has not been released. (JM)
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Parent Coalition Meeting Ahead Of School Year RelocatedParent Coalition Meeting Ahead Of School Year Relocated
7/16/14 - Tomorrowâs meeting of the Livingston Parent Coalition will be held at the Genoa Township playground to take advantage of the weather. The group was formed to allow local parents to network and brainstorm about the challenges they face, and has resulted in the formation of programs like an annual diaper drive. Its monthly meetings sometimes include informational speakers and are usually held at the Livingston Educational Service Agency headquarters on Grand River in Howell. However, to take advantage of the weather, the group will meet from 6 to 7:30pm at the playground located at the Genoa Township Hall on Dorr Road. Families will be given a free dinner, and childcare will be provided while parents discuss issues and volunteer opportunities, such as for the upcoming backpack drive for the start of the school year. (TD)
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Gas Station Robber Gets Lengthy Prison SentenceGas Station Robber Gets Lengthy Prison Sentence
7/16/14 - A prison sentence has been handed down the man believed to have robbed the same Lyon Township gas station at gunpoint on three separate occasions. 25-year-old Douglas Duane Austin was charged with three counts of armed robbery for a string of incidents at the Kensington Mobil gas station on Grand River â two last December and another in January. He pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery in exchange for the third being dropped. He was sentenced yesterday to prison for the next 12 to 30 years, with credit for 173 days served. Following the robberies, Austin was identified by Oakland County Sheriffâs Deputy Matt Snider, who had responded to an injury accident on January 23rd and noticed that the passenger in the vehicle matched the description of the suspect and surveillance photos previously made public. Austin was arrested on a narcotics warrant out of Flint Township at the scene but then positively identified by one of the robbery victims through a photo line-up. Austin allegedly implicated himself in all three robberies during a subsequent interview. (TD)
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New Collaboration Helping Feed More Hungry Mouths This SummerNew Collaboration Helping Feed More Hungry Mouths This Summer
7/16/14 - With more than a quarter of the children in Livingston County receiving free and reduced lunches during the school year, there are always hungry bellies that need to be filled during the summer months and a new collaboration aims to help feed that gap. The Howell Public Schools district has teamed up with the Salvation Army of Livingston County and the Livingston County Hunger Council to add an additional food service site to the ongoing Summer Lunch Bunch Program. âMeet Up and Eat Upâ is an open food only service site where free meals will be provided to children and teens up to the age of 18, as well as persons up to age 26 who are enrolled in an educational program recognized by a state or local public educational agency for the mentally or physically disabled. Adult meals will be available for a cash-only cost of $3.50. Officials say thereâs no income requirement, application or waiting list and those in need of a meal can just show up and be served. The new program will run Monday through Friday from 11:30am to 1:30pm at Challenger Elementary School in Howell, every week through August 22nd. Officials say itâs also not too late for those in need of assistance to sign up for the traditional Summer Lunch Bunch program, held once a week at locations in Hamburg, Brighton, Howell, Fowlerville and Hartland. The summer feeding efforts are supported through monetary and in-kind donations as well as federal grants and more than 14,000 lunches were served to local families during the eight week program last summer. Complete details can be found through the link below, as well as the attached press release. (JM)
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