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Genoa Passes On Joint Road Project With OceolaGenoa Passes On Joint Road Project With Oceola

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8/3/14 - Genoa Township has passed on a project that would have improved the surface of Golf Club Road. The project was proposed by Oceola Township as a combined effort to perform a joint overlay project between Latson Road and Grand River. As proposed, road crews would have ground up the existing surface and created a new asphalt surface for Golf Club, which mostly runs along the border between the two townships. The total projected project cost was $485,000, with Genoa Township paying only $98,000 and Oceola covering the rest of the cost since more of Golf Club is exclusively in Oceola. Despite the smaller cost, the Genoa Township Board voted against taking part in the project. Supervisor Gary McCririe says they might reconsider if asked again next year. The proposed project would also have made some minor improvements to the intersection of Gold Club and Hughes Road. (TD)

Deadline Looms For Brighton Planning Commission ApplicationsDeadline Looms For Brighton Planning Commission Applications

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8/3/14 - Those interested in a local planning commission vacancy have another week to apply. The Brighton City Council is will be accepting applications from residents interested in an appointment to the planning commission. Interested individuals must have lived in the City at least two years prior to the date of any appointment, be a qualified and registered voter and not be in default to the City. Letters of application and resumes summarizing an applicant’s experiences and qualifications that could help demonstrate leadership qualities should be sent, including any specific experiences on governing boards or committees of other public or civic service organizations. Additional information regarding the position including minimum qualifications, responsibilities, compensation and length of term are available by contacting the Brighton human resources director during business hours. The application deadline is August 8th. (JM)

Increase in Jail Nursing Hours SoughtIncrease in Jail Nursing Hours Sought

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8/4/14 - The county government is considering a request from jail officials to increase the nursing staff coverage for inmates. The jail currently pays to staff one nurse at any given time, but Jail Operations Lieutenant Jeff LeVeque went before the County Public Safety and Infrastructure & Development Committee last week seeking to increase that coverage. He says they are seeking to increase nursing staff by 16 hours per week, helping to speed up the process of providing doctor’s visits and medication distribution. The request, which would increase the cost of the contract by $33,000, would only be a stop-gap measure until the new jail expansion is completed, at which time a full medical staff would be provided 24/7. The request was approved unanimously by the committee, but still requires review by other county bodies before it receives final approval. LeVeque tells WHMI the need for this expansion is due to the jail’s ever-growing population. He told the committee that the growing percentage of female inmates has also made health care in the jail more complicated. (TD)

Efforts Underway to Help Highland Residents Impacted by StormEfforts Underway to Help Highland Residents Impacted by Storm

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8/4/14 - A fundraising effort has been set up to help uninsured residents of a Highland mobile home park that suffered damage in the recent storm. High winds, heavy rain, and golf ball-sized hail struck the area on July 27th, seriously damaging structures and vehicles. One of the hardest-hit areas is Highland Greens Estates, a mobile home park located west of Milford Road. The Milford Times reports 80% of the homes in the neighborhood were damaged in the storm, resulting in damaged siding, broken windows, and shattered skylights. Of those who were damaged, four out of five were uninsured, and many need help paying for repairs. The park has helped replace some lost windows and supplies have been provided by nonprofits like the Salvation Army and American Red Cross. Additionally, a fund has been set up to help raise money for repair bills and insurance deductibles. For more information or to make a donation, call Community Sharing at (248) 889-0347. All contributions are tax-deductible. (TD)

Voters Reminded About Rules of Tuesday's PrimaryVoters Reminded About Rules of Tuesday's Primary

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8/4/14 - Local election officials say there are a few things for voters to keep in mind when heading to the polls on Tuesday. Low voter turnout is projected, which is typical for primary elections according to Livingston County Elections Supervisor Joan Runyan. She tells WHMI local turnout typically ranges from 20% to 27% but she’s optimistic. Because it is an open primary, votes can be cast for any party in the partisan section of the ballot, but only for one party. Runyan says that means residents cannot vote split ticket and should also remember to vote both sides of the ballot. In addition to local and state races, millage proposals covering everything from police and fire services to roads, libraries and mosquitos will appear on Tuesday’s ballot. Personalized sample ballots are available on the Michigan Voter Information Center website ahead of Tuesday’s election. A link is available below. Polls will be open across Livingston County from 7am until 8pm Tuesday. (JM)

Local Developers Purchase Vacant Elementary SchoolLocal Developers Purchase Vacant Elementary School

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8/4/14 - After months of being on the market, a local elementary school has been sold. Rescue LLC, a Livingston County real estate and management company, announced this weekend that it has contracted with Pinckney Community Schools to purchase the now vacant Pinckney Elementary School building and grounds. The $325,000 contract includes the 14-acre site and the 38,900-square-foot former school. Developer Jeff Doyle is one of the owners of Rescue LLC and says that although there are several possible uses for the building, it is in need of extensive repair and renovation. However, he said he and his business partner Geoff Greeneisen are “very excited about the opportunities” the building and location provide. Central to that is its walkability to downtown Pinckney via sidewalks, which he says creates a “sustainable and approachable way to small-town life.” The contract provides for a six-month feasibility period in which to evaluate the structure and the property. Doyle says during that period they will determine the best use of the property, apply for any necessary rezoning and create a plan to best use the resources available. The Pinckney district had previously been in talks with Trinity Lutheran Church in Pinckney, which offered to buy the building for $255,000. Ultimately the school board deemed that to be not enough and kept the building on the market. (JK)

Wheeler Road Residents Trapped by Stalled TrainWheeler Road Residents Trapped by Stalled Train

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8/4/14 - Residents that live along the southern portion of Wheeler Road in Handy Township were frustrated today after a CSX train stalled on the tracks for most of the morning, blocking their access. One resident told WHMI that the train had been stopped since at least 5am. Livingston County Central Dispatch said it would be approximately 1pm before it was able to move, but residents say it finally got underway just before noon. But while it was stopped, residents that live along that stretch of Wheeler Road, which is a dead-end, had no way to drive away from their homes. At least one resident reportedly climbed through the train and had a co-worker pick them up on the other side. (JK)

Hartland Firefighters' Association Planning Golf Scramble EventHartland Firefighters' Association Planning Golf Scramble Event

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8/4/14 - Local golfers are invited to attend a fundraiser in Hartland this month to benefit local emergency services and families in need. The Hartland Firefighters’ Association will be holding its annual Golf Scramble on Sunday, August 17th. The cost is $70 per golfer, which includes 18 holes with cart, lunch, dinner, and prizes to follow the event, which will take place at the Hartland Glen Golf Course. The proceeds from the event will go toward helping local families in need, as well as the Livingston County Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Disaster Assistance Response Team. Individual golfers or foursomes are welcome to sign up. For more information, follow the link below. (TD)

Fowlerville Motorcyclist Killed in Saturday Crash Fowlerville Motorcyclist Killed in Saturday Crash

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8/4/14 - A weekend crash involving a car and a motorcycle in rural Ingham County claimed the life of a Fowlerville man. The Ingham County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the fatal crash that occurred Saturday. Preliminary investigation shows a 25-year-old Leslie woman with her infant son was traveling eastbound on Catholic Church when her Pontiac G6 collided with 30-year-old Craig Blackshear’s Harley Davidson. The office says Blackshear lived in Fowlerville and was wearing a helmet. He was treated by EMS on scene and transported to a Lansing hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. The woman and her son were not injured. Authorities say alcohol and speed do not seem to be factors and the cause of the crash is still being investigated. (JM)

Police Investigating Fatal Motorcycle CrashPolice Investigating Fatal Motorcycle Crash

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8/4/14 - A Howell man is dead following a motorcycle crash this morning in Genoa Township. Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte tells WHMI that 26-year-old Tell Joseph-Morrison Allen was riding a Harley Davidson westbound on Brighton Road at about 2am when he failed to negotiate a curve just past Bauer Road. Bezotte says Allen’s bike left the road, struck some trees and crashed. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Allen was not wearing a helmet, and alcohol and speed are considered to be possible factors in the crash. Bezotte says they were assisted at the scene by the Brighton police and fire departments, along with Hamburg Township police, Michigan State Police and Livingston County EMS. (JK)

Confusion Surrounds Proposal 1 Ahead of August Primary ElectionConfusion Surrounds Proposal 1 Ahead of August Primary Election

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8/4/14 - While there are a variety of state legislative and local millage requests on Tuesday’s primary ballot, one issue every voter will have an opportunity to decide is Proposal 1. The proposal, which would make permanent a gradual $500 million cut in taxes on business machinery and equipment, is supported by a wide range of groups from the Howell and Brighton chambers of commerce to the Michigan Municipal League. Manufacturers, automakers and others have also spent more than $7 million promoting Proposal 1. But for many voters, there’s still confusion as to exactly what the referendum would do and who it would benefit. Susan Demas is the editor and publisher of Inside Michigan Politics and was a guest Sunday on WHMI’s Viewpoint. She says much of the confusion stems from the language used in the ballot proposal, which was crafted directly by the legislature and not vetted through the normal process. Prop 1 asks voters to endorse a complicated funding mechanism designed to ensure local governments and schools are fully reimbursed as taxes are slashed on businesses' machines and furniture. If the measure is defeated, the tax cuts will be halted. But Demas says the concern is that the lame-duck legislature would then enact a similar cut that wouldn’t contain any mechanism to replace municipalities lost revenue. Critics of Proposal 1 say it unfairly makes vulnerable the funding that many municipalities need to fund services like police and fire. Supporters say the tax it eliminates is an impediment to business growth and that the revenue it generated for communities will be replaced through a combination of letting various tax breaks expire and shifting revenue from other portions of the budget. You can hear the full interview with Demas through the link below. (JK)

Fenton Road Millage Considered For 2015Fenton Road Millage Considered For 2015

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8/5/14 - Voters in the City of Fenton could be asked to approve a road millage sometime next year. Last night the Fenton City Council met for a work session and decided to begin research in preparation for the tax proposal. While there is still enough time to put the millage on the November ballot, City Manager Lynn Markland says the council would not do that since there would not be enough time to inform the public about the issue. Instead, they have decided to look into other cities with road millages, such as Milford, Ypsilanti, and Grand Rapids, to figure out how the taxes were accomplished and the level of funding needed. Markland tells WHMI the city already does some minor road maintenance, mostly in the winter, but more money will be needed to improve Fenton roads. Engineers have already looked at which Fenton streets are most in need of repair, and have estimated that about $1.2 million per year would be needed to accomplish that. The current road maintenance funding comes from the state gas tax, but Markland says even that funding is drying up as cars become more fuel efficient. He adds that he believes the state’s road funding mechanism is flawed. (TD)

Fire Officials Warn of "Lunacy" Surrounding Internet TrendFire Officials Warn of "Lunacy" Surrounding Internet Trend

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8/5/14 - The Hartland Deerfield Fire Authority is emphasizing that setting yourself on fire is a very bad idea. An Internet trend called the “fire challenge” began to gain popularity in 2012. It is a sort of “dare challenge” in which the participant does something painful simply to prove they can, in this case applying a flammable substance and lighting their bodies on fire. Teenagers around the country have been injured as a result, and the Hartland Deerfield Fire Authority has added its voice to the emergency response and medical organizations which have called on people to stop. It points out that the online videos of people participating in the challenger do not show the severe burns that result from the challenge, as well as the hospitalization, infections, disfigurement, and death that could follow. The department says it is absurd that officials have to tell people not to light themselves on fire, and calls the trend “lunacy.” Anyone with comments or concerns is encouraged to contact the fire authority or visit its Facebook page. (TD)

Local Woman Frustrated After Pit Bulls Attack Her & Kill DogLocal Woman Frustrated After Pit Bulls Attack Her & Kill Dog

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8/5/14 - A Northfield Township woman is not only coping with the trauma of seeing her dog fatally attacked in front of her by two pit bulls and being injured herself, but feels she’s been getting the runaround after learning they’re back in her neighborhood. Ellen Mohan’s 16-pound fox terrier poodle named Zoey was killed July 17th by the two dogs in her Northfield Estates neighborhood. She suffered 50 lacerations on both of her hands while trying to save her dog and was hospitalized for five days. Mohan, who is a weekend air personality at WHMI, will be undergoing physical therapy for the next five weeks but says what’s more frustrating is that the dogs were released when they were supposed to be quarantined. Mohan tells WHMI she’s not getting any answers in trying to find out why the dangerous animals are on the loose. Mohan ideally wants the dogs put down but at the very least removed from the park. She says the two pit bulls were not leashed at the time of the attack and the breed is banned in her neighborhood. Mohan says she was told by Washtenaw County Animal Control that Northfield Township Police authorized their release by checking off a box on a form to home quarantine the animals due to overcrowding conditions, although she says the officer noted the animals killed another dog and injured a human so should not be released. Washtenaw County Animal Control refused to comment on the case when contacted by WHMI while Northfield Township Police say the dogs were impounded for safety but released per animal control policy. Sergeant Smith says the investigation is considered active but the report has been turned over to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office, which will either authorize or deny criminal charges or send it back for further investigation. (JM)

Voters to Cast Ballots for Contested Races & Local ProposalsVoters to Cast Ballots for Contested Races & Local Proposals

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8/5/14 - Polls will be open across Livingston County for today’s primary election. Voters will be deciding heavily contested races for the GOP nomination to the State House. In the 42nd House District, Republicans Nick Fiani, Lana Theis, Rich Perlberg and Dale Rogers are in the running. The winner will face Democrat Timothy Johnson in November. Meanwhile, the winner of the GOP nomination in the 47th District will face Democrat Jordan Genso. Those Republicans are Hank Vaupel, Harold Melton, Phil Campbell, Theodore Ring and Wendy Day. Also in the running is Libertarian Rodger Young. There are two seats being contested in the GOP primary for the Livingston County Board of Commissioners. 6th District Commissioner Steve Williams is being challenged by Steven Hart, while Douglas Helzerman is challenging 4th District Commissioner Ronald Van Houten . Several proposed millage issues are on the ballot today for roads in Cohoctah and Howell Township, schools in Fowlerville and fire protection in Putnam Township and Green Oak Township, which also has a police millage renewal on the ballot. There are also millage requests for the Hamburg and Pinckney libraries. Proposal 1 is the only statewide question on the ballot, which would allow for the continued phase out of personal property taxes businesses pay on equipment. Polling locations are open from 7am until 8pm. Detailed information about local and state races can be found through the link below. (JK)

Senior Power Day Planned in Brighton FridaySenior Power Day Planned in Brighton Friday

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8/5/14 - An annual summer event that celebrates being an aging adult in Livingston County will take place later this week. The 27th annual Senior Power Day will be held in the Brighton High School cafeteria from 9am to 3pm this Friday. The theme for this year’s event is "Sailing into Aging". Educational sessions are designed to empower local seniors and help them make more informed decisions in managing their affairs. More than 60 area agencies and senior-related vendors will be on site, along with other services such as free paper shredding for sensitive documents and a red barrel for medication disposal. Lunch, afternoon entertainment and door prizes will round out Senior Power Day, which is sponsored by the Livingston County Consortium on Aging. Guests desiring lunch are asked to contact their local senior center to register and free transportation is being provided by Livingston Essential Transportation Services or LETS. Golf carts will also be traveling around the parking lot of Brighton High School on Friday for those in need of assistance. Details about Senior Power Day can be found through the link below. (JM)

Events Will Mark 40th Anniversary of Landmark LegislationEvents Will Mark 40th Anniversary of Landmark Legislation

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8/4/14 - Legislation protecting the state’s wildlife will be honored during ceremonies statewide and in Livingston County. State parks across Michigan are holding programs this week to mark the 40th anniversary of the approval of the state's Endangered Species Act. Among the parks taking part is the Brighton State Recreation Area. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the events run through Sunday at sites from Algonac State Park near Marine City to Young State Park near Boyne City. The event is called Threatened and Endangered Species Week, and the department says that 39 state parks and other sites have programs scheduled. Then-Gov. William Milliken signed Michigan's Endangered Species Act on July 11, 1974. The Department of Natural Resources says the law has helped aid the recovery of the bald eagle, gray wolf and peregrine falcon. Locally, the Brighton State Recreation Area will two events this Friday, a presentation on endangered mammals at 4pm and then a bat program at 9:30pm. You’ll find details through the link below. (JK)

Lightning Strike Sparks Attic Blaze in Oceola TownshipLightning Strike Sparks Attic Blaze in Oceola Township

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8/5/14 - A home in Oceola Township caught fire this morning after being struck by lightning. Howell Fire Chief Andy Pless tells WHMI they arrived just before 8am to find smoke and flames through the roof and in the attic of the home on Purdy Lane. Pless says a woman and her two sons were home at the time, heard the lighting strike and began investigating. He says they discovered the fire in the attic but were able to call 911 and everyone made it out safely, including the family pets. Pless says the fire was extinguished pretty quickly and contained mostly to the attic and the exterior walls of the home. There was water damage and the home will need a new roof as well as some work on the outside walls and siding but Pless says it’s nothing that can’t be repaired fairly easily and quickly so the family can get back in their home. (JM)

Low Voter Turnout Reported Across Livingston County Low Voter Turnout Reported Across Livingston County

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8/5/14 - The majority of municipal clerks reported extremely light voter turnout at polling locations across Livingston County today. Turnout is typically low for primary elections and the rain may have been a factor later in the day and early evening. Livingston County Elections Supervisor Joan Runyan told WHMI that that all clerks were reporting low turnout, with the exception of Putnam and Handy Townships. She says the heavier than normal turnout in Putnam Township was likely attributed to voters deciding a millage renewal for the fire department as well as an operational millage request from the Pinckney Community Public Library. In Handy Township, polling locations were said to be running steady. Voter turnout in Green Oak Township appeared to be about 15%, which Clerk Mike Sedlak told WHMI is right on par for this kind of election. Sedlak said turnout was good this morning and held steady throughout the day before the rain came. He noted that it picked up dramatically in the afternoon, resulting in a turnout on par with that of four years ago. Genoa Township Clerk Polly Skolarus reported very low turnout. She told WHMI that as of about 11am, one of the polling places only had 40 persons voting, so that’s really low. However, Skolarus noted they have a lot of residents that vote absentee in the township and were busy processing those ballots. She says over 3,000 applications were sent out and 2,200 people responded. County-wide, turnout for the 2012 August Primary Election stood at 20.62%, compared to a larger-than-usual turnout in 2010 of 27.22%. There were a number of contested congressional, state and local legislative races on today’s primary ballot. Voters were also deciding several proposed millage issues for roads in Cohoctah and Howell Townships, schools in Fowlerville and fire protection in Putnam Township and Green Oak Township, which also has a police millage renewal on the ballot. There are also millage requests for the Hamburg and Pinckney libraries. Proposal 1 was the only statewide question on the ballot, which would allow for the continued phase out of personal property taxes businesses pay on equipment. Election results will be reported as they become available on the Livingston County Clerk’s webpage. A link is posted below. (JM)

Meeting Will Detail Plans For US-23 ImprovementsMeeting Will Detail Plans For US-23 Improvements

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8/6/14 - A meeting this month will give residents a chance to hear about the upcoming improvements to US-23 from the Michigan Department of Transportation. The meeting will be held at the Northfield Township Hall located in Whitmore Lake from 4:00 to 6:30pm on Thursday, August 14th. MDOT is planning major upgrades to US-23 from Silver Lake Road in Green Oak south to M-14. These changes will include improvements to the surface, shoulders, medians, bridges, and entrance and exit ramps for the highway. The department is also considering an active traffic management system south of M-36, which would improve the flow of traffic during peak hours and theoretically reduce rush hour congestion. MDOT staff will be present at the meeting to explain the improvements and provide visual aids to demonstrate how the work will be done. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2016. (JK)
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