12/13/12 - A South Lyon man whose father died when a tractor-trailer rig struck him on a Georgia highway near the end of a cross-country ride plans to finish the journey. Dan Cornell plans to arrive in Key West, Florida on Friday along with Joseph Muscato, who was injured in the July 26th crash that killed 64-year-old Pete Cornell. The semi hit Pete Cornell, Muscato and Thomas Clark near Dawson, Georgia. Cornellâs son left his South Lyon home earlier this month and headed to Dawson, where he picked up the trek his father wasnât able to complete. Pete Cornell had retired to Port Charlotte, Fla., and had completed most of a trip of thousands of miles that took him through Alaska and many other states. Dan Cornell (at right in photo) says the idea to finish the ride, which heâs making with the ashes of his father (at left) in a small urn, came to him after he woke up from a nightmare shortly after the crash. (JK)
South Lyon Man to Finish Dad's Cross-Country Bike TripSouth Lyon Man to Finish Dad's Cross-Country Bike Trip
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Emergency Responders Request Nixon Road Name ChangeEmergency Responders Request Nixon Road Name Change
12/13/12 - The Livingston County Road Commission is considering changing the name of Nixon Road to South Latson Road upon completion of the I-96 interchange due to safety concerns. Nixon was part of South Latson Road until the 1960âs when the construction of I-96 cut off the north-south route. Managing Director Mike Craine says the original request to return to the original name came from the Latson family, but the road commission started seriously considering the issue recently after another request came in from local emergency responders. The fire, police, and EMS services in the area issued a request for action by the road commission to change the name of the road to reflect the new continuity of the road. Craine says the road commission receives about a dozen requests for road name changes every year, most of which are denied, but a request related to safety is worth considering. He says the change has been evaluated by the countyâs Geographic Information System and the only conflict in addresses will come from two homes which will have to be renumbered to remain in sequence with the surrounding houses. The total cost of the change is not known at this time but should not be excessive. The road commissionâs next meeting on January 10th will include a discussion on the name change, and members of the public will be welcome to make their comments known. (TD)
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Howell Attorney Sentenced on Embezzlement ChargesHowell Attorney Sentenced on Embezzlement Charges
12/13/12 - A Howell attorney will serve no additional jail time after entering a plea to charges that she embezzled from her clients. 45-year-old Christina Heikkinen was sentenced to 100 days of time already served today by Livingston County Circuit Court Judge Michael Hatty, who also ordered her to serve three years of probation. Heikkinen pleaded no contest last month to a single count of embezzling between $1,000 and $20,000. A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes. In exchange for her plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss a second count of the same and recommend Heikkinen not serve any additional time behind bars. A restitution hearing was set for January 28th. Heikkinen was accused of embezzling $18,000 from a 40-year-old West Branch man in May of 2009 as well as $3,000 from a female client in December of 2006. Heikkinen still faces narcotics possession charge in Wayne County and a charge of 3rd degree retail fraud in Oakland County. The status of those cases is unknown. (JK)
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Brighton Roller Derby Bout Being Filmed SaturdayBrighton Roller Derby Bout Being Filmed Saturday
12/14/12 - Local fans are being asked to help Livingston County's only women's flat track roller derby league make it to the small screen and pack a unique bout this weekend. The Brighton Roller Dollz will host 'Twas the Fight before Christmasâ this Saturday at Rollerrama II on West Grand River in Brighton. The derby league was established in 2010 and has more than 40 members from Livingston County and the surrounding area. It says a well-known cable channel will be filming and gathering footage at the bout for an upcoming holiday special about quirky holiday celebrations. The team isnât guaranteed to air but says in order to better its chances of making the cut; they ask that fans pack the derby night Saturday decked out in crazy holiday attire, saying no Christmas sweater is too ugly and no reindeer nose too bright. Santa will be available at halftime for photos so families and kids are encouraged to attend. Tickets are $12 at the door or $10 in advance. Children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. Doors open at 7:30pm with the bout at 8. Details can be found through the link below. (JM)
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Brighton Teacher Holds Signing And Reading For New BookBrighton Teacher Holds Signing And Reading For New Book
12/14/12 - A Brighton author and high school teacher did a reading and signed copies of his recently-published book in at Barnes and Noble in Green Oak last night. Todd Day teaches creative writing at Brighton High School, and on October 23rd his book âNever Play Checkers With A Leapfrogâ was published. It is a book of quirky poetry aimed at young or amateur poets that emulates the style of Shel Silverstein, author of âThe Giving Tree.â It also includes explanations of the techniques and tools used to create the poems to teach the reader how to become a better poet. At yesterdayâs book signing, Day read selected poems from the book for gathered families. He says the book is for younger audiences than his own students, but he would like to see other teachers take advantage of it. Day will hold another signing and reading of the book at Tuesday Books in downtown Williamston tonight from 6:00 to 8:00pm. The book is available at Barnes and Noble, or click the link below to find out how to purchase it online. (TD)
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Howell Man To Spend At Least Four Years Behind Bars For Robbery Howell Man To Spend At Least Four Years Behind Bars For Robbery
12/14/12 - A Howell man is heading to prison for robbing a local store at gunpoint. 24-year-old Zachary David Litwiller was ordered to serve 4 to 25 years in prison for armed robbery but also received a two year consecutive sentence for a separate felony firearms count. He previously pleaded guilty as charged in Livingston County Circuit Court. Howell Police say Litwiller entered the Mobil gas station on D-19 the night of April 25th, demanded money and showed the clerk a gun. After the clerk handed over the money, Litwiller fled onto westbound I-96 but was later captured after his vehicle was spotted on Grand River. (JM)
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Health Dept. to Take Part in Investigation of Food-Borne IllnessesHealth Dept. to Take Part in Investigation of Food-Borne Illnesses
12/14/12- The Livingston Department of Public Health will work with other local counties and agencies to help the nation better understand and respond to food-borne illness outbreaks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development funds to conduct a multi-agency investigation of food-borne illness. Michigan is one of only two states to receive this type of grant. The Livingston Department of Public Health will work with the state and four other counties to conduct the investigation. Diane McCormick, the department's Environmental Health Director tells WHMI that the counties will discuss how they have previously reacted to food-borne illness outbreaks, where they came from, and how they can prepare for outbreaks in the future. The investigation will also be aided by epidemiologists and other Michigan agencies such as the Department of Community Health and the Department of Agriculture. Work on the project will begin in January and will continue through 2015. The efforts of the investigation will not be limited to helping residents of Michigan, but will be shared with other states to help the nation better react to foodborne illness outbreaks and prevent people from getting sick. (SO)
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Rogers Reappointed as Chair of House Intelligence CommitteeRogers Reappointed as Chair of House Intelligence Committee
12/14/12 - Congressman Mike Rogers has been reappointed to serve as the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. In making the re-appointment, House Speaker John Boehner said Rogers had demonstrated strong leadership in his role heading up the committee and has become a leading voice on national security policy in Washington. In a statement yesterday, Rogers said he was honored and humbled by the reappointment and would continue working aggressively to support the nationâs vital intelligence programs, while identifying responsible cost savings and efficiencies. Rogers was first appointed Chairman of the committee in 2010. Under his leadership, the committee has passed two budget authorizations signed into law by President Obama and legislation designed to protect America from cyber threats. (JK)
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Prosecutor Makes Closing Argument in Pyne Murder TrialProsecutor Makes Closing Argument in Pyne Murder Trial
12/14/12 - The defense attorney for a Highland Township man charged with the murder of his mother will make his closing arguments today before sending the case to the jury. 22-year-old Jeffrey Pyne is accused of bludgeoning and stabbing his mother to death on May 27th, 2011, in the family garage on Burwood Court. During his closing argument yesterday, the Detroit Free Press said Assistant Prosecutor John Skrzynski likened the case against Pyne to a puzzle and said that the pieces to convict him of murder fit together. Prosecutors contend Pyne killed his mother in a fit of rage after years of dealing with her mental illness. Skrzynski pointed out that Pyne's alibi, that he was at a former teacher's home planting lilac bushes when his mother was killed, was disputed by the neighbor who previously testified the bushes had been planted several days before. He also tried to knock down the defense theory that a stranger killed Ruth Pyne, reminding them that her blood was found on the faucet handles in the laundry room, telling jurors, "The defendant knew he had enough time to clean up. He knew what time his father and sister would be home. Would an intruder know that?" Defense attorney James Champion presented no witnesses during trial and has argued that the slaying could have been carried out by a serial killer or a hit man. Championâs motion that the jury only be allowed to consider first-degree murder or acquittal was denied yesterday by the judge, who ruled the jury could also consider a conviction of second-degree murder. (JK)
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February Polar Plunges Scheduled In Brighton & FentonFebruary Polar Plunges Scheduled In Brighton & Fenton
12/14/12 - Community members are once again being invited to experience the power of plunging. The annual Law Enforcement Torch Run® Polar Plunge series will return in the new year, with 28 plunges scheduled throughout the state to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics Michigan athletes. Proceeds from the plunges help support year-round sports training and athletic competition for thousands of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Local events are planned in Brighton and Fenton, during which most participants dress up in costume and plunge into freezing waters for the cause. The Fenton Polar Plunge will take place February 9th in Lake Fenton at the Fenton Moose Lodge while the Brighton Polar Plunge is scheduled at the high school on February 23rd. Registration for both begins at noon with the plunges at 1pm, followed by post-plunge parties and awards ceremonies. A link to more information and registration details can be found below. (JM)
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All Donations To Livingston County United Way Triple MondayAll Donations To Livingston County United Way Triple Monday
12/12/12 - Local residents are able to take part in a unique giving opportunity Monday that will benefit a local non-profit working to address the most critical needs in the community. On Monday, the Livingston County United Way will be able to triple all donations received thanks to the Ted and Jane Von Voigtlander Foundation and two local donors who wish to remain anonymous. All of the monies raised will be designated specifically to provide local families and individuals with basic needs and services such as food programs, shelter and homeless support, rent and utility assistance along with budgeting and financial education. Because of the United Wayâs ability to leverage every dollar in donations to $2.12 means that the true impact of a $100 donation Monday becomes $636 that goes directly back into important services for those in need. Donations are 100% tax deductible and can be made by calling the Livingston County United Way at 810-494-3000, on-line at lcunitedway.org or the more tech-savvy can also text âuwmichâ to 85944 to make a one-time donation of $10 billed to your cell phone bill. Others who prefer to drop off donations in person can do so at locations throughout Livingston County or at the United Way offices on Dorr Road from 7am until 7pm on Monday, December 17th. Complete details can be found through the link below. (JM)
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Expert Helps Parents Talk With Kids After Deadly School Shooting Expert Helps Parents Talk With Kids After Deadly School Shooting
12/14/12 - Following news of a massive shooting at a Connecticut elementary school, local parents may be wondering how to best talk to their kids about the tragedy that claimed the lives of 20 children, six adults and the gunman. Psychologist Katherine Rosenblum works in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan. She says when things such as this happen, itâs really scary for everyone but allowing kids to express their feelings and ask their questions is an important first step. Rosenblum advises asking children what they are thinking and feeling about what they might have seen or heard while taking note of their behaviors and responses. Rosenblum says parents need to be mindful of exposure and protect kids from disturbing and distressing images whether on television or in the car on the radio. She says it is okay for kids to know that parents have feelings too and things can be scary for them, but it is important for parents to try not to show intense emotions or very strong reactions. Rosenblum suggests that instead of starting off with a big, fully packaged explanation, parents should keep it simple and age appropriate with questions such as âsomething really scary happenedâ¦how are you feeling about that?" That way, she says parents can respond to their own childâs specific questions and feelings. The attack came less than two weeks before Christmas and appears to be the nation's second-deadliest school shooting, exceeded only by the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007. (JM)
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Howell School Board Approves Extension For Wright House SaleHowell School Board Approves Extension For Wright House Sale
12/15/12 - At its regular meeting Monday, the Howell School Board approved a motion to give more time to obtain financing for the purchaser of the house on the Parker Middle School property. The district obtained the house as part of the purchase of the property several years ago. For a brief time since then it served as the home of Superintendent Ron Wilson, but his family has since relocated. Assistant Superintendent Rick Terres tells WHMI the realtor found more than half a dozen interested buyers. The top choice for the district offered $125,000 for the house, which is more than the asking price, but informed the board that he needs more time to get a commitment from a lending institution. The buyer asked for a five-day extension, but the board was sympathetic to the slow processing of FHA loans and granted the extension through January 14th. Terres says it has been a bumpy road to secure a loan, but he expects the deal to be closed by the first of the year. (TD)
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Linden City Cancels Union Block Purchase Over ContaminationLinden City Cancels Union Block Purchase Over Contamination
12/15/12 - The City of Linden has cancelled its planned purchase of the Union Block property following an environmental study. The historic block in the cityâs downtown was built in 1870 and was a major part of the downtown district until it was destroyed by fire in 2007. The 1.06-acre property was purchased the following year by two local families, and the city government has been in talks to purchase the property for the past four months, and the initial agreement included a price tag of $240,000. The city paid $2,000 in deposits and $2,150 for a phase one environmental study. A second environmental study, paid for by one of the families that own the property, identified the presence of petroleum related contaminants in the soil and groundwater of a portion of the property that exceeded Michigan Department of Environmental Quality standards. The city could have been hit with unforeseen costs if the deal had gone through. (TD)
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Catholic Charities Completes 18th Annual Christmas ProjectCatholic Charities Completes 18th Annual Christmas Project
12/15/12 - Livingston County Catholic Charities conducted its annual Christmas project this month, bringing food and gifts to families around the county. Director of Senior Services Pam Bolam tells WHMI the project has been ongoing for the past 18 years. Volunteers begin working in September to collect food such as lunch meat, cheese, and butter to be distributed along with hygiene items and other gifts. Their efforts are coordinated with nonprofit organizations from all around Livingston. Gifts distributed by the program included winter supplies like coats, hats, blankets, and gloves, and in several cases the recipients were contacted ahead of time to find out what they needed. Bolam says about 60 volunteers contributed hundreds of volunteer hours to collect the donations and, on December 7th, distribute the goods to local families. This year 95 families benefited from the project, which is a new record. Of those families 91 were older adults and four were families with children. Recipients were identified through partner agencies such as the Salvation Army. For more information about LCCC projects, follow the link below. (TD)
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Budget Holds Steady For Livingston County Road CommissionBudget Holds Steady For Livingston County Road Commission
12/15/12 - The Livingston County Road Commission adopted a budget for the coming fiscal year at its regular meeting on Thursday. Managing Director Mike Craine says the road commissionâs budget has increased slightly to reflect the increasing stability of the economy as well as a one-time injection of federal funds for the Latson Road interchange project. Other projects that will be undertaken this year will include work on the Leyton Road and Center Road bridges. The road commission will also be resurfacing and drainage improvements to Pinckney Road from Coon Lake to Wright Road. Craine says this project will have the most impact on local traffic, so it has been scheduled to take place after the school year ends and will involve relining culverts rather than digging them out and replacing them. (TD)
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Jury Deliberating Fate of Highland Township Man in Murder TrialJury Deliberating Fate of Highland Township Man in Murder Trial
12/15/12 - The case of a Highland Township man accused of murdering his mother is now in the hands of a jury. 22-year-old Jeffrey Pyne is accused of bludgeoning and stabbing his mother to death on May 27th, 2011 in the family garage. Jurors began deliberations on Friday afternoon following closing arguments and what was said to be an emotional morning in court. The eight women and four men requested several photos of the Pyneâs home and crime scene, including those of wounds on Pyneâs hands taken the day of the killing. Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Leo Bowman allowed all photos submitted into evidence to be provided to the jury but denied a request for a two-by-four board, and warned the jury against performing any experiments. Jurors were then dismissed for the weekend and will reconvene on Monday. Prosecutors say Pyne killed his mother in a fit of rage after years of dealing with abuse resulting from her mental illness. They claim injuries on his hands were sustained in the act of beating his mother. Defense Attorney James Champion called no witnesses in the case, saying there is no evidence tying Pyne to the murder and that the prosecutors failed to prove their case. He said Pyneâs injuries were sustained at work, and that the trial was a âwitch huntâ based on emotion rather than fact. Pyne faces life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder, and jurors are being allowed to consider an alternative charge of second-degree murder. (JM)
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Brighton Area Schools Unlikely to Erase Legacy Deficit SoonBrighton Area Schools Unlikely to Erase Legacy Deficit Soon
12/16/12 - Itâs highly unlikely that the Brighton Area School District will meet the deadline of erasing its long-term deficit by the end of the 2013-14 school year. Thatâs the opinion of Bill Anderson, the vice president of the Brighton school board, who made the statement at the board meeting Monday night. Anderson is a legislative liaison for the Michigan Townships Association and a former Brighton Township supervisor. The end of the 13-14 fiscal year is the deadline the state has given âdeficit districtsâ to remove their red ink. However, Anderson said itâs unrealistic for the state to expect school districts on the list to get back in the black after the legislature cut school funding by $470 per student last year and didnât restore the funding this year. For a district like Brighton, with slightly over 6,000 students, it means a drop of almost $3 million in revenue in a single year, and a $6 million loss over the last two years. Superintendent Greg Gray tells WHMI that had it not been for those major cuts in public education funding, Brighton would almost have erased the legacy deficit by now. The Brighton Area Schools currently has a long-term deficit of $7 million, which at one time stood at $15 million. Absent the legacy deficit, this past year the school district was in the black by $500,000. In presenting the annual audit report, auditor Bruce Dunn told the board last week that Brighton is one of the few school districts in the state actually making progress in erasing its long-term deficit. With the state funding cuts to education, Dunn predicted the number of schools becoming deficit districts will rise this year. (TT)
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Howell Recreation Offers a Holiday in the ParkHowell Recreation Offers a Holiday in the Park
12/17/12 - Local families and community members are invited to create magical holiday memories while exploring Howell City Park this season. Holiday in the Park is offered by the Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority and lines the rustic drive throughout the park with large evergreen trees lit up and decorated by various groups and families. Authority Director Debbie Mikula says itâs a great drive-thru holiday experience for families and the community and they encourage everyone to head downtown, grab something to eat and do some shopping before enjoying Holiday in the Park. Howell City Park will be lit up for drive-thru traffic every day from 6 to 9pm for the event and the cost is $5 per car so Mikula says load up as many kids as you can. (JK)
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Pic of Local Girls Chosen by National Geographic for Annual Top 10 Pic of Local Girls Chosen by National Geographic for Annual Top 10
12/17/12 - A picture of twin girls from Livingston County that was featured earlier this year in National Geographic has been chosen as one of that magazineâs top ten photos of 2012. 7-year-olds Johanna and Eva Gill of Oceola Township were pictured in a two page spread that opened up the January article, which focused on the nature of identical twins, both in how they are alike, but also in how new research is showing that they differ to varying degrees. While still in utero, the girls were diagnosed with a rare condition called twin transfusion syndrome, in which blood from the mother passes disproportionately from one twin to the other. Although given just a 5% chance of survival, they underwent experimental surgery to correct the complications which they underwent while still in her womb. The photo of the Gill Twins was chosen from among 900 published in the magazine this year and selected as one of the ten best by National Geographic Editor in Chief Chris Johns. A link to the top ten photos is posted below. (JK)
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