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Accused Whitmore Lake Arsonist Bound Over For TrialAccused Whitmore Lake Arsonist Bound Over For Trial

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1/30/15 - It’s on to trial for a Whitmore Lake man accused of burning down a home in South Lyon. 24-year-old David William Luark is charged with one count of second-degree arson for allegedly setting the fire that destroyed a home on University Avenue. His case was bound over to Oakland County Circuit Court for trial following a hearing Wednesday. Luark is the ex-boyfriend of a 21-year-old woman who lived in the house. South Lyon Police say Luark was drunk when he was dropped off at the house and invited to sleep on the couch by the woman’s brother, who was a friend. The brother reportedly awoke around 1am to find Luark smashing the family television, and left the home to call the police. The house was on fire by the time they arrived. Luark barricaded himself inside his own home for about three hours before surrendering to police. The house was completely destroyed in the fire and two dogs were killed. Luark denies getting violent, and says the fire was started by himself and the brother smoking in bed. (JK)

Howell Council Extends Medical Marijuana Dispensary MoratoriumHowell Council Extends Medical Marijuana Dispensary Moratorium

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1/30/15 - The Howell City Council met Monday night to again extend a moratorium on the opening of medical marijuana dispensaries but has now agreed to make adopting an ordinance a priority. Council met Monday night and extended a current moratorium on dispensaries out to March 30th but intends to start moving forward with adopting an ordinance. Council originally enacted the moratorium in anticipation of the state addressing the issue and regulations but that’s no longer expected to be the case. The planning commission has already put together a draft ordinance to regulate dispensaries but had been waiting for action at the state level before proceeding with anything. Other local municipalities have also taken a wait and see approach. Different views were expressed by members of the public, with the majority who spoke favoring efforts to allow and regulate dispensaries in the city and felt it was an opportunity for the city to take the lead and set parameters. Howell attorney Denise Policella commented regulating the facilities would provide safe medication to local adult patients who deserve to have resources in their own county. One resident who opposes opening the facilities in Howell said patients have other options including delivery to obtain the substance and another voiced concerns with the message it would send to students and youth. Mayor Phil Campbell tells WHMI council voted for a temporary moratorium last year because they believed state action was imminent and didn’t want their laws to conflict with pending state law. He says a draft ordinance put together would comply with all relevant case law to incorporate medical marijuana provisioning centers within current zoning and certain areas of the city. Michigan is one of a few medical Marijuana states that does not have any regulatory infrastructure in place for the industry, despite being approved by voters in 2008. Because of that, a number of dispensaries have been popping up across metro Detroit, many without any permits or licensing, which ultimately leads to more cases being tied up in court. (JM)

Brighton Schools On Track To Eliminate DeficitBrighton Schools On Track To Eliminate Deficit

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1/30/15 - Brighton Area School officials are projecting that the district will have erased all of the red ink by the end of the current fiscal year on June 30th. The district has been saddled with a deficit for several years that it inherited from past boards and administrations, and the board has been working hard to erase the shortfall through various cuts, cost containment and revenue enhancement measures. Superintendent Greg Gray says the cuts have not come at the expense of programs, and the district has maintained an excellent academic reputation. The cost containment methods have included no salary increases for teachers and "give backs" in the form of paying a greater portion of their insurance costs, administrative salary freezes and privatizing of many services. The revenue enhancement has come in the form of finding new ways to increase revenues such as Schools of Choice, in which Brighton schools are open to students from other area districts, and Shared Services, in which certified teachers hired by Brighton teach classes in private and parochial schools. The Brighton Area Schools now operates the largest Shared Services program in the entire state, serving about 1,500 students in several counties. The district derives income from the program by receiving a pro-rated share of the state aid the school receives for courses which qualify. Assistant Superintendent of Finance Maria Gistinger gave a budget update to the board this week, and tells WHMI Shared Services is not the only reason she's projecting the district will get out of its deficit this year, but also through careful cost-cutting. Gistinger says the Shared Services program is expected to net the Brighton Area Schools $5 million this year after expenses, such as teacher salaries. Brighton ended the last fiscal year with a $4.3 million deficit - down from over $8 million the year before that, and is projected to end the current fiscal year in the black - with a $1.5 million fund balance. (TT)

Howell Man Charged In Ice Rink B&E's Enters Plea In Assault CaseHowell Man Charged In Ice Rink B&E's Enters Plea In Assault Case

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1/30/15 - A local man accused of repeatedly breaking into a local ice arena has entered a plea in a separate assault case. 18-year-old Kyle Robert Bradley of Howell is accused of breaking into the Grand Oaks Ice Arena four times between October 28th and December 9th. He is facing charges of breaking and entering as well as larceny in a building. He is also facing a single count of assault and battery related to another man in Livingston County District Court. On Monday, he pleaded no contest for the assault charge. He will be sentenced on March 4th. He is still scheduled for a settlement conference on February 3rd for the breaking and entering charges. Authorities say he confessed to all four break-ins while in custody. (TD)

Howell High School Students Rhyming For A ReasonHowell High School Students Rhyming For A Reason

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1/30/15 - The Howell Freshman Campus chose its representative for the statewide Poetry Out Loud competition with a recitation contest last night. To prepare for the competition, students had to memorize and recite different poems for their classes. Each performance was graded on criteria including articulation, complexity, evidence of understanding, and overall performance, and the best performer from each class was chosen to take part in last night’s school-wide competition. Of the seventeen competitors, the winner was Anna Stoker, who recited “On Monsieur’s Departure” by Queen Elizabeth I and “I Know, I Remember, But How Can I Help You” by Hayden Carruth. As the school champion, Stoker will now go on to the state Poetry Out Loud finals at Lansing Community College on March 13th. The winner of that competition will go on to the national championships in late April. Thousands of dollars in prize money is awarded to the top winners and their schools. (TD)

Murray The Woodchuck To Fill In For Woody On Monday

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1/30/15 - After 16 years of predictions, Livingston County's resident weather-guessing woodchuck will sit on the sidelines for Groundhog Day this year. Woody from the Howell Conference & Nature Center had been set to make her annual Groundhog Day prediction on Monday. But as Dana Debenhem, the nature center’s director of Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education, told WHMI, those plans changed because she just isn’t up to the task this year after falling ill with a respiratory infection. So in steps 8-month-old Murray to save the day. But there’s a lot of pressure on Murray, as Woody has a 75% success rate in accurately predicting whether winter will last another six weeks. Either way, Howell Nature Center director Dick Grant says they plan to have a fun, family-friendly event for everyone on Monday that will start at 7:45am with a costume contest for a free week at camp. The prediction will happen at 8:05am and leave plenty of time to get kids to school. We’ll get an early peek at Murray’s prognostication abilities this Sunday as she picked the Seahawks to win Super Bowl XLIX. That video is posted here. You can find complete details about Monday’s celebration at the nature center online through the link below. (JK)

Restoration Work Continues At Howell City Hall Restoration Work Continues At Howell City Hall

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1/30/15 - The Howell City Hall restoration project is still moving along although remaining work has been somewhat held up by votes of council over the last month. The mold mitigation portion of the project was completed but resulted in some additional work. Given the magnitude of the restoration, some minor additions were also identified to enhance the final appearance of council chambers but were outside of what insurance would cover. Councilman Al Schlittler raised issues with cost estimates provided by the company that had been already been doing the work and wanted additional bids. While the advantage of using a single contractor from start to finish was noted, council directed staff to put the remaining work out for bid and include the additional add-on projects. However after receiving the final approved scope and other feedback, the bid timeline was laid out during the most recent council meeting and would have pushed completion of the project out to the end of May or June. Mayor Phil Campbell says they directed staff to proceed with awarding the bid and that council wanted to proceed with renovations as quickly as possible. A water line broke in October, flooding the basement where the city council chambers are located. Despite quick actions by staff to get cleaned up, extensive water damage resulted and testing later revealed elevated levels of mold. (JM)

DDA Provides $13,000 To Local Business For Facade ImprovementsDDA Provides $13,000 To Local Business For Facade Improvements

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1/31/15 - The Howell Downtown Development Authority has awarded more than $13,000 to a local restaurant to help pay for an updated façade. In the past few months, Diamonds Steak and Seafood has replaced its old grey stone façade with one made of red brick, which the DDA feels is more in keeping with the historic look of the downtown. The restaurant has also made various changes to its seating options, including the installation of an awning for outdoor tables. Diamonds spent about $26,000 on those improvements, and the DDA is reimbursing the restaurant for 50% of that amount, roughly $13,100. DDA Board Secretary Courtney Tarara tells WHMI providing business owners with financial help to update their facades is one way the DDA helps maintain the historic appearance and attractiveness of the downtown area. Over the next six months, Diamonds will make additional improvements to the sides and rear of its building, and the DDA is planning to grant the business about $6,800 in additional funds for that work. (TD)

Howell Woman Enters Plea To Online HarassmentHowell Woman Enters Plea To Online Harassment

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1/31/15 - A guilty plea has been entered by a Howell-area woman who police say posted a message on the Internet intending to harass another woman. 39-year-old Holly Laballister was charged with three counts each of unlawful posting of a message and using a computer to commit a crime, as well as being a 2nd time habitual offender. Her previous offenses include receiving and concealing stolen property in 2012 and 4th degree child abuse in 2014. According to police, on three separate occasions in 2013, Laballister posted about another woman on an Internet message board. Prosecutors say those messages were posted without the victim’s consent and led several people to harass the victim with unwanted phone calls. Laballister will be sentenced on February 19th. (TD)

Livingston Walk for Warmth Helps Heat Homes & Warm HeartsLivingston Walk for Warmth Helps Heat Homes & Warm Hearts

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Winter is here and an event that helps heat homes and warm hearts is fast approaching. This marks the 25th anniversary of the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency’s Walk for Warmth events that raises critical funds for emergency utility assistance to keep the heat on in the homes of local residents and families. Organizers say individuals, families, community groups and businesses still have time to register and raise funds. The Livingston County event will be held at the Hartland Educational Support Service Center on Saturday, February 21st, also known as the old high school on M-59. Each year, Livingston County residents come together for the indoor walk-a-thon, which is family-themed and CEO Ronald Borngesser tells WHMI the only cold part of the event is walking in from the parking lot. Everything raised goes to provide direct assistance to low income individuals, families, children and senior citizens. Since it began in 1990, Walk for Warmth has raised over $1.2 million to keep the heat on in the homes of local residents. A new fundraising platform was also launched this year to solicit support and track progress. Information about registration and sponsorship opportunities can be found at WHMI.com.

Howell Aviation Students Celebrate Ground School Completion

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1/31/15 - A group of 22 Howell High School students too to the skies, in a manner of speaking after they completed finals for an aviation ground school program the district started offering last year. The students completed a written test and broke into five teams to build and try to fly motorized model airplanes at the end of the elective program. Each team had to finance its model and team T-shirts, raising money and technical support from local businesses. Students got parts from hardware stores and hobby shops. Flights took place inside a hangar at Howell Township's Crosswinds Aviation, which partners with the school district for the program. Students who complete the course get a leg up on earning a recreational pilot's license. (JK)

Arraignment Held For Suspect In Beating Of Elderly Highland Man Arraignment Held For Suspect In Beating Of Elderly Highland Man

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1/31/15 - The suspect in the brutal beating of an elderly Highland Township man has been arraigned in Oakland County Circuit Court. 30-year-old Mark Wisenbaugh of Flint is charged with multiple counts, including assault with intent to commit murder, killing or torturing of an animal and auto theft. He was arraigned this past week in Oakland County Circuit Court. A pre-trial hearing was scheduled for February 17th. Deputies from the Oakland County Sheriff's Highland Township substation say they were summoned to a home in the 1500 block of Highland Park just before 7am on November 10th after a neighbor discovered the 70-year-old victim bleeding and unconscious in the home. His truck was also missing. Wisenbaugh, who had reportedly been staying in a camper on the victim’s property, was later located with the truck in Flint. The victim was hospitalized with serious head trauma. His dog was also killed in the attack. Police believe the incident followed an argument over money. Wisenbaugh remains lodged in the Oakland County Jail without bond. (JK)

Brighton Church To Host Red Carpet Prom-Style EventBrighton Church To Host Red Carpet Prom-Style Event

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2/1/15 - A night to shine that thousands of special needs individuals will likely never forget is planned in February. The 2/24 Community Church in Brighton is one of dozens across the country taking part in “Night to Shine” – a prom-style red carpet evening of dining and dancing. The nationwide event is being organized by the foundation of former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow on February 13th. 2/42 Director of Family Ministries Eric Rauch tells WHMI they had an opportunity to partner with the foundation a few months ago and provide the red carpet treatment to individuals with special needs. Each prom will include special elements, consisting of a red carpet entrance with paparazzi, boutonnieres and corsages, hair and makeup beauty stations, a dance floor and food. The Night to Shine prom attendee list is already at capacity and will take place from 6 to 9pm February 13th. However, a team of volunteers is being assembled to assist in hosting the special guests. Those wanting to get involved are asked to contact the 2 /42 Community Church in Brighton. (JM)

Livingston County’s Jobless Rate Little Changed in December Livingston County’s Jobless Rate Little Changed in December

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2/1/15 - Livingston County’s unemployment rate held mostly steady from November to December. Local and regional jobless figures were released recently for December. The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget says total employment declined seasonally in most regions over the month while labor force levels were mixed. Regional labor markets were said to be stable for the month, with some of the smallest rate reductions occurring in the Ann Arbor and Detroit-Warren-Livonia region, which includes Livingston County. Livingston County’s individual unemployment rate improved just slightly by one tenth of a percentage point to 5.9% from November to December. Also improving for the second consecutive month was Livingston County’s overall ranking among Michigan’s 83 counties to 38th. Preliminary annual average data indicates that local area jobless rates fell substantially from 2013 to 2014, and that 2014 annual unemployment rates in most local labor markets were similar to pre-recession levels. (JM)

Slumber Party Disaster Averted Following Carbon Monoxide LeakSlumber Party Disaster Averted Following Carbon Monoxide Leak

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2/1/15 - A sweet 16 sleepover ended with a trip to the hospital in South Lyon this week due to a carbon monoxide leak. Andrea Spalding was hosting the party for her daughter Bria’s birthday. Andrea woke up with a headache and problems standing at about 5am Friday while the nine girls in attendance were sleeping. According to WXYZ, she initially just took headache medicine and went to bed, but she and the girls continued waking up in the night with stomach problems and difficulty standing. Eventually it became clear that everyone in the house was ill, and they were taken to a hospital where it was determined they had carbon monoxide poisoning. Tasteless and odorless, carbon monoxide from furnaces and heaters can build up in homes and interfere with the ability of occupants to absorb oxygen. Firefighters tested the home and found a carbon monoxide level of 20%, which is potentially fatal. A leaky furnace was determined to be the cause of the gas. Firefighters installed a carbon monoxide detector, and the victims were treated with oxygen at Providence Park Hospital in Novi. (TD)

Howell, Brighton, Pinckney & South Lyon Declare Snow Emergencies

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2/1/15 - Because of the heavy snow predicted for the region, the cities of Howell, Brighton and South Lyon and the Village of Pinckney have declared a snow emergency. Residents are required to remove their vehicles from the right-of-way and place them in driveways or garages to make the roads clear for snow plow crews that will be out all weekend trying to clear the snow from the roadways. Howell's emergency runs through 7pm Monday. Pinckney officials say the emergency will remain in effect there until Tuesday night, February 3. Additionally, the Howell Carnegie District Library has canceled activities for the duration of the snow emergency. (JK/TD)

Schools & County Offices Closed Monday

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2/1/15 - Due to the accumulated snowfall and predictions for more overnight, all of the public school districts in Livingston County have canceled classes for Monday. Livingston County offices are also closed. The complete list can be found by Clicking Here

Spartan Hopefuls Have Chance At Scholarship AssistanceSpartan Hopefuls Have Chance At Scholarship Assistance

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2/2/15 - Livingston County high school seniors who plan to attend Michigan State University next year have a chance to win a scholarship to help cover the cost of scholastic materials in the fall. The MSU Alumni Club of Livingston County is once again taking applications for its annual Textbook Scholarship. Any senior who has been accepted to MSU and plans to attend there in the fall is eligible for the scholarship, which will provide $1,000 toward the purchase of books, reading material, course packets, and other material necessary to attend class. All of the local high school counselors have been provided with the necessary forms to apply for the scholarship, and they can also be downloaded from the alumni association’s website. Applying for the scholarship will require the assistance of a counselor, coach, employer, religious leader, or other professional who is aware of the student’s accomplishments. All applications must be postmarked by March 2nd. For more information, follow the link below. (TD)

Fundraiser To Provide Break From Winter BlahsFundraiser To Provide Break From Winter Blahs

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2/2/15 - An event later this month will offer a tropical escape while raising funds to support three non-profit youth organizations working to make an impact in the lives of Livingston County’s future leaders. The Livingston Sunrise Rotary Club transforms Cleary University’s Johnson Center into a tropical paradise for Midnight in the Tropics, a dinner and dancing fundraiser planned February 21st. Funds raised benefit The Connection Youth Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Livingston County, Reaching Higher and the Livingston Sunrise Rotary Foundation. President elect Aleia Jackson tells WHMI all of the proceeds from 'Midnight in the Tropics' help the organization provide financial support to do work to change lives. Jackson says the live and silent auctions featuring vacation packages are always a big draw and attendees typically come decked out in tropical gear as the event is designed to be an escape from the cold and mid-winter blues featuring Caribbean inspired food and entertainment. In addition to purchasing tickets, Jackson says there are a number of ways the community can get involved including sponsorship opportunities. Details are available online through the link below. (JK)

Howell Looks Into Remodeling Work Done Without PermitsHowell Looks Into Remodeling Work Done Without Permits

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2/2/15 - The city of Howell has begun looking into issues of basements being finished without permits in a condominium development. City Manager Shea Charles tells WHMI they are in the very early phases of reaching out to property owners in Brandon Chase Condominiums off Curzon Street. He says issues stem from a complaint that was received late last year about some basements being built without permits. Charles says some condos now have finished basements but the city doesn’t have a permit for and they’re in the process of working with various property owners. Charles tells WHMI letters were sent out giving property owners the opportunity to come forward and contact the city to determine the next steps and try and clear up the matter. The city of Howell has its own building department but contracts for building official services, meaning the building official is a contract employee. Staff has been working on the matter now that general building activity has slowed down. Charles says resolution to the issues is not a simple matter and will basically come down to what they find and the extent of renovations, when they were done and if the condos have transitioned through ownership over the past few years. He added that because building code gets updated periodically and requirements change, they will also need to figure out what code it falls under because if the finished basement was constructed during a certain time period, it may be subject to the old code versus those of today. (JM)
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