A bench trial has been granted for a 14-year-old Highland Township boy accused of threatening to kill everyone at his high school. Judge Elizabeth Pezzetti agreed Monday to hold a bench trial on April 13 to determine the seriousness of the alleged threats the Milford High School freshman made last month. The teen is accused of making a false threat of terrorism and use of a computer to commit a crime. Both are 20-year felonies. He's being prosecuted as a juvenile in Oakland County Probate Court. Another student told police the teen said "he was going to shoot up" the school, comparing his plans to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado. The teen, who is said to have a fascination with Nazi history, is alleged to have sent text messages using the persona of "Adolph Hitler." He also reportedly told police he sent the text because he was depressed over a recent break up with a girlfriend. Investigators say authorities removed nine firearms from his home. The teen is being held in Children's Village without bond. (JK)
Bench Trial Set For Highland Teen Charged In Shooting ThreatBench Trial Set For Highland Teen Charged In Shooting Threat
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Praise For Howell Native Despite Elimination From NBC's The VoicePraise For Howell Native Despite Elimination From NBC's The Voice
3/10/15 - A Howell native put forth a âvaliant effortâ Monday night but it wasnât enough to win the battle round on a reality television singing competition. James McNeiece was eliminated from NBCâs The Voice after facing off with Tonya Boyd-Cannon in a battle duet singing Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)". Some fans felt it was a mismatched duet that was more suited to Tonyaâs soulful voice, as sheâs a prison choir leader and a Hurricane Katrina survivor. Regardless, McNeiece received positive praise from their coach, Maroon 5âs lead singer Adam Levine, as well as the other star judges who said he has lots of potential and made the performance his own. The 2006 Howell High School grad moved to the Traverse City area after college but recently relocated to Los Angeles to try and launch his singing career. McNeiece joined WHMIâs Mike and Jon in the Morning today and said it was an experience in which he received some great advice that will further his musical career. Going into the competition, McNeiece said he thought he would have identified most with Pharrell Williams but it ended up being Levine. As to his personal prediction for the show, McNeiece said âSonic is going to win it allâ. Photo Credit NBC. (JM)
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New Incentive-Based Contract in the Works for Brighton SuperintendentNew Incentive-Based Contract in the Works for Brighton Superintendent
3/10/15 - Brighton Superintendent Greg Gray could receive a significant pay increase in the near future but thereâs a catch. Itâs in the form of merit pay that is incentive-based. At Monday nightâs meeting the board discussed Grayâs proposed new contract, but decided not to formally act on it until the next meeting. Gray tells WHMI his new contract will have the same base pay of $135,000, but will contain a 2% incentive clause. While it likely will mean a pay increase, the clause could also work to Grayâs detriment if district revenues decline. But Gray tells WHMI he has no problem with a salary increase that is incentive. Gray could earn as much as $155,000 with the new contract, depending on how much revenue is derived from the enormously successful Shared Services program. In addition, Gray will receive five additional vacation days, and his life insurance policy will go from about half-a-million dollars to one million dollars. The board did take action Monday night to extend Grayâs contract by one year so that it expires on June 30, 2020. Action on Grayâs revised contract is expected at the April 13th meeting. (TT)
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Howell & Cohoctah Townships Working Towards Shared Road ProjectHowell & Cohoctah Townships Working Towards Shared Road Project
3/10/15 - Two local townships are coming together to repair a stretch of road they share throughout a multi-year plan. Allen Road runs between Howell and Cohoctah Townships and is in need of refurbishment. Due to water dripping from tree overhang, the road retains water, causing it to breakdown faster. This year, the trees causing the damage will be removed from each side of the road along with the stumps. Ditches will also be created to aid in drainage. Howell Township Zoning Administrator and Clerk Carolyn Eaton tells WHMI the cost will be shared between the townships due to the roadsâ location. The end goal is to entirely recondition Allen Road, though Eaton says the projectâs completion is still two to three years out. Eaton says Howell Township approached Cohoctah Township about the road years ago, though Cohoctah has only recently decided to move forward with the project which will be finished in stages. (DK)
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Pleas Entered By Milford Man For Brighton Bar Fight Pleas Entered By Milford Man For Brighton Bar Fight
Pleas have been entered by a Milford man for his role in a melee at a Brighton restaurant in September. 21-year-old Dylan Thomas Johnson pleaded guilty as charged to resisting police and possession of a switchblade, and pleaded no contest to charges of aggravated assault and assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder. The Milford Times reports his sentencing will take place on March 26th. A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but will be treated as such for sentencing purposes. During a hearing, a Brighton Police sergeant testified that he saw Johnsonâs codefendant Thomas Haas of Ann Arbor punch a man at The Pound Bar and Grill in Brighton in the early morning of September 6th. That sergeant says he then saw Johnson kick the man as he lay lifeless on the ground, then assault the victimâs brother with a head-butt. For his part in the scuffle, Haas was sentenced to 20 days in jail and probation. (TD)
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Pinckney Team Reaches National Finals In Cybersecurity CompetitionPinckney Team Reaches National Finals In Cybersecurity Competition
A group of five students from Pinckney High School is in Washington, D.C. this week as finalists in the 7th annual Cyberpatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. This year, 2,100 teams signed up to compete in the competition, but only 28 have made it to the national finals. Of those, 12 are in the same group as the team from Pinckney. During the competition, competing teams are given visual representations of computer operating systems. The students; Jacob Rickerd, Adam Flickema, Torin Meinicke, Austin Eckman and Joseph Mayo, must locate and repair security vulnerabilities in those systems while maintaining critical services, in much the same way IT professionals would defend real operating systems from cyber-attacks. In addition to the all-expenses paid trip to the nationâs capital, finalist teams like Pinckneyâs have a chance to win national recognition and scholarship money for their efforts. The competition begins today and will run through Sunday. (TD)
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Brighton Begins Series Of Public Parking MeetingsBrighton Begins Series Of Public Parking Meetings
The Brighton City Downtown Development Authority held the first three of a series of meetings yesterday to introduce its new parking enforcement strategy. Over the past few years, studies conducted by the DDA have revealed large areas in the downtown with a serious shortage of parking spaces. It has devised a new system aiming to alleviate that problem that involves setting time limits on the most desirable parking spaces. Those along Main Street and Grand River would be designated two-hour parking, while those in the most convenient lots would be three-hour parking. Other lots would remain all-day parking, and DDA Director Matt Modrack says employees at downtown businesses will be encouraged to use these lots, leaving more desirable spaces for patrons. The DDA also plans to hire a part-time enforcement officer to uphold the time limits. However, Modrack tells WHMI the fees for violations will be minimal, and the DDA plans to begin this process with more of an informational approach. For the first 30-45 days, the DDA will be distributing information to local businesses to prepare them for the change, and violators of the parking time limits will be given notices rather than tickets. The fees for tickets later on are expected to be minimal. Yesterdayâs meetings were held to explain the plan to residents and gather input before final implementation. More meetings will be held at the Brighton City offices next week. They will take place on Tuesday at 6:30pm as well as Wednesday at 8:30am and 2pm. More information is available through the Downtown Development Authorityâs Facebook page. (TD)
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Attorney: Local Woman Hiding Daughter Harassed by DHS WorkersAttorney: Local Woman Hiding Daughter Harassed by DHS Workers
A local mother cleared of abuse charges is hiding her daughter due to alleged harassment by the state and local court orders. 38-year-old Joshua Burns was convicted of 2nd degree child abuse following an incident last March but denies it was an intentional act and says his then 11-week-old daughter Naomi slipped off his knee. His wife Brenda was cleared of all abuse allegations and won a civil trial, but her name was still placed on a state child abuse registry. Brenda is now being represented by Jackson-based attorney Elizabeth Warner, who says her client is trying to move forward but the state Department of Human Services and its Child Protective Services division still want to treat her like a guilty criminal. She says this case goes way too far and raises broader questions about harassment and tactics being employed by Child Protective Services, including using police as tools to "terrorize" families. Warner says Josh hasnât lived at the familyâs Brighton residence for a year but on January 27th, the same day he was convicted, an "illegal" CPS raid was engineered. Warner says five uniformed police officers accompanied a CPS worker to Brendaâs home to see if Josh was in violation of a court order to have no contact with his daughter but he wasnât there and Naomi was being cared for by her grandparents. Following what Warner says constitutes an illegal home invasion without a court ordered warrant, she alleges things got worse and CPS became increasingly insistent with constantly seeing the child and being allowed in the home among other requests. Warner says it was inevitable that Brenda was going to have to move at some point because she canât maintain the same standard of living now being a married but single mother, having lost her nursing job and Joshâs income, who was an airline pilot. Warner sent a letter to CPS requesting that the harassment of her client stop, reiterating a lack of jurisdiction as Naomi is no longer under DHS supervision. The letter further advised that Brenda would be moving but communications could continue through Warner or a mailing address. Warner says CPS retaliated by filing a petition that seeks to make Brenda an accused party to the ongoing civil case regarding Joshuaâs parental rights. A court referee then authorized an order demanding Brenda provide the location of Naomi by 5pm last Friday. Livingston County Prosecutor Bill Vailliencourt told WHMI the location of the child was still unknown as of Tuesday and they will continue to litigate their case in the courts, which is the appropriate venue. A hearing on the matter is scheduled next Thursday. Itâs the same day that Joshua Burns is scheduled to be sentenced in the child abuse case. As to his conviction, Vailliencourt said âit is important to remember that the version of events presented by the defendant and his family and friends is a version of events that was rejected twice by each of two separate juries - juries made up of members of this communityâ. Vailliencourtâs complete statement is attached below, as is the link to Warner's informal interview with WHMI. (JM) Note: A previous version of this story said that Naomi was 11 months old at the time of the alleged abuse. She was in fact 11 weeks old.
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Student Art Set For Display At Howell Opera HouseStudent Art Set For Display At Howell Opera House
Starting next Tuesday, a collection of artwork from Livingston County students will go on display at the Howell Opera House. The 16th annual GOT ART is a program of the Livingston Arts Council highlighting the art of students from Livingston County. Last year, approximately 900 pieces of art were exhibited and more than 2,000 people attended the exhibit. Schools participating this year are Howell, Fowlerville, Brighton, Hartland, St. Joseph Schools, Flex Tech, and Kensington Woods. GOT ART coordinators, and former Howell teachers, Gail Carter and Marsha Noble, encourage the public to visit the exhibit and enjoy the unique opportunity of observing the exceptional creative work of community youth. The GOT ART exhibit will be open to the public from March 17th to the 29th with art from grades Kindergarten through 12. Admission to the exhibit is free. Details are available through the link below. (JK)
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Police Arrest South Lyon Man After Alleged Drive-Thru Hit-And-RunPolice Arrest South Lyon Man After Alleged Drive-Thru Hit-And-Run
A South Lyon man was arrested this weekend after allegedly rear-ending someone in a fast food drive-thru lane and fleeing the scene. South Lyon Police were called out to the Taco Bell on Pontiac Trail just after midnight on Saturday. A resident at the restaurant complained that the driver behind him in the drive-thru lane rear-ended him. They had reportedly agreed to collect their food and meet in the parking lot to discuss the incident, but once the second driver had collected his purchase he sped away. The South Lyon Herald reports an officer was responding to the scene when he noticed a vehicle stuck in a snow bank on Harvard Street. It matched the description of the suspectâs vehicle, so a second officer was dispatched to investigate it. That officer reported that he smelled alcohol in the vehicle, and while the driver admitted to having a few drinks and visiting Taco Bell, he initially denied having rear-ended another vehicle. Eventually, he allegedly admitted to the crash, but said there had been no damage and claimed the other driver had told him he could go. The suspect, a 36-year-old South Lyon man, failed field sobriety tests, and his blood alcohol level was tested at .201, more than twice the legal limit for driving. He was arrested for driving under the influence and failing to stop at the scene of an accident. (TD)
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Author Gives Genealogy Presentation at Brighton LibraryAuthor Gives Genealogy Presentation at Brighton Library
A Grand Rapids man who was adopted at birth and spent nearly 30 years of his life searching for his birth parents gave a presentation on genealogy Tuesday night at the Brighton District Library. About 30 people attended the program, presented by guest speaker and author Richard Hill. Hill says he got involved in genealogy research when he found out his mother had a son before he was born and he wanted to find his brother. Hill said that what helped him the most in his search was âgenetic genealogyâ â which involves DNA testing in combination with traditional genealogy, including sourcing historical and other documents. Hill tells WHMI he experienced nothing but dead ends in finding his birth father until he conducted a Y-DNA search. Hill says the fact that he was adopted exacerbated his efforts at finding his roots because adoption records in Michigan are sealed at birth and never unsealed. He expressed the hope that Michigan will revise the restrictive law and loosen the rules on adoption records, as some other states have done. That way, adults adopted as infants or as children can learn their birth parentsâ identity and whether they have siblings or other living relatives. Those interested in learning their family genealogy can find out more about the subject at Hillâs website: dnatestingadvisor.com. His self-published book, called âFinding Family, My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNAâ, can be purchased either in print form or as a Kindle e-book by going to amazon.com. Hill says many libraries in Michigan also have the book in stock. (TT)
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Chili Cook-Off Fundraiser to Benefit Pinckney Teen Battling CancerChili Cook-Off Fundraiser to Benefit Pinckney Teen Battling Cancer
A chili cook-off and nacho bar fundraiser this weekend will assist a Pinckney High School senior diagnosed with Hodgkinâs Lymphoma. 17-year-old Katie Berry is the daughter of Lyon Townshipâs Deputy Fire Chief Doug Berry. Different fundraisers have been held throughout the community since she was diagnosed last November, with the latest being held at Chilson Hills Church on Brighton Road Saturday. The church hosts the popular event every year but is hoping to raise additional funds to help ease some of the Berry familyâs financial burdens. Livingston County Undersheriff Mike Murphy tells WHMI last he heard Katie was doing okay but still wasnât out of the woods yet. Murphy will be entering his own concoction in the contest but joked itâs not very conventional and never the same twice simply because he doesnât follow any recipes. He says they welcome different chili entries but joked there will be some tough competition since heâll be passing out âget out of jail freeâ cards in exchange for votes. This Saturdayâs fundraiser will run from 5:30 to 8pm and is open to the public. Those wishing to enter the contest should contact Chilson Hills Church. Cash and check donations will be accepted at the event, with 100% of proceeds going to Katie Berry and her family. An event flyer is attached below. (JM)
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Meeting Will Discuss Howell-Ann Arbor Rail ProposalMeeting Will Discuss Howell-Ann Arbor Rail Proposal
A proposed commuter rail line between Howell and Ann Arbor remains a distant dream, but one that organizers hope is finally moving forward. Known as WALLY, or the Washtenaw and Livingston Line, the proposal would use existing tracks to run a commuter rail service over the course of the 27 miles between the two cities. Recently, funds were established to conduct a feasibility study and part of that process will be a meeting Thursday night in Brighton. The meeting, which is expected to provide an overview of the feasibility study, will start with a presentation and then be followed by a discussion to answer questions and get public input on the project and process. The North-South Rail project is being evaluated as a way to improve mobility along US-23, and to promote economic development and job creation in the region. The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority is conducting the federally funded feasibility study, which will take about 15 months to complete and be used to determine project costs, ridership, potential station locations, and the capacity and willingness of affected communities to build, operate and help fund the project. Supporters hope to use the results for future federal funding. Tomorrowâs meeting is set for 7-9pm at the Brighton Community Center, with a follow-up meeting planned on Monday, March 16th at the Ann Arbor Public Library. (JK)
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Students From Four Area Schools to Compete in State Poetry CompetitionStudents From Four Area Schools to Compete in State Poetry Competition
Four area high school students will take center stage Friday as part of competition and the chance to be named Michigan's Poetry Out Loud champion. Dozens of high schools challenged students to explore poetry while building public speaking skills through Poetry Out Loud, a national poetry recitation competition. At the state competition, 33 school champions will compete in three rounds of recitation for the chance to be named this year's state champion. The four champions from area schools include; Anna Stocker from Howell High School who is pictured, Jacob Russell from Hartland High School, Dhriti Deb from Okemos High School and Samantha Reagan from Williamston High School. The state champion will receive a $200 cash award and $500 stipend for their school, along with an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C. to represent Michigan at the national competition this April. The competition is free and open to the public Friday. It will take place in the Dart Auditorium at Lansing Community College from 9am to 4pm. Recognition of students and the state champion will be announced at 3:30pm. (JM)
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New Deadline Approaches For Hartland Deputy Clerk ApplicantsNew Deadline Approaches For Hartland Deputy Clerk Applicants
Hartland Township has extended the application deadline for people who would like to become the municipalityâs next deputy clerk, but time is almost up. The township recently chose accountant Larry Ciofu to serve as its new clerk following the unexpected passing of Larry Hopkins in December. Since that time, Deputy Clerk Rebecca Schilling chose to leave the area, moving to a property in the northern part of the state. In February, the township began looking for someone to take her place and work with Ciofu to administer the election process and clerical duties. The original job posting included a February 26th deadline for applications, but that has since been extended to tomorrow. According to the job posting, qualified applicants would be highly organized with strong customer service and computer skills. Those who apply should have a high school diploma and two to three years of experience, preferably in election administration. The 20-hour-per-week job has a starting wage of just over $17 an hour, with the potential to increase to about $23 per hour. Those interested in applying should submit a cover letter and resume to the Hartland Township clerkâs office. (TD)
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Humane Society of Livingston County Benefits From 100 Women Who CareHumane Society of Livingston County Benefits From 100 Women Who Care
One hour of time from 100 women in Livingston County will translate into $10,000 for a local non-profit. The 100 Women Who Care About Livingston County awarded the Humane Society of Livingston County a minimum of $10,000 during its recent quarterly meeting. The money donated will help support operations at the shelter on Dorr Road in Genoa Township including spaying/neutering services and veterinarian costs. The organization was brought to Livingston County by Candye Hinton in 2012 and Sandie Cortez will be succeeding her in the organizationâs leadership role. The overall concept is that as individuals, it can be difficult to make a large impact but as a group, they have the ability to contribute to the growth of the local community in ways never before thought possible. Cortez tells WHMI deserving charities are screened, nominated and then selected by members who pledge to raise $10,000 in one hour. Member Carole Bullion spoke with passion in nominating the Humane Society of Livingston County during the March meeting, saying âanimals need people and people need animalsâ. She also shared how a gentleman takes a L.E.T.S. bus to the shelter twice a week because the cats need him. A formal check presentation is planned at the Humane Society later this month. Cortez says she envisions growing the membership base to create an even larger impact. The local chapter now has over 100 members and Cortez encourages women across Livingston County to get involved, noting that membership comes from all walks of life and financial backgrounds. The organizationâs next meeting will be on the first Tuesday in June. Pictured from left is Cortez, Bullion and Hinton. More information about the organization can be found through the link below. (JM)
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Congressman Officially Opens New District Office In BrightonCongressman Officially Opens New District Office In Brighton
Members of the public and community leaders gathered in Brighton for an open house and ribbon cutting at Representative Mike Bishopâs new district office yesterday. After being elected to the 8th congressional district in November, Bishop decided to relocate the district offices from Lansing to downtown Brighton. He says the location is more convenient for constituents, being centrally located in the three-county district and also near both US-23 and I-96. Yesterdayâs ribbon cutting was attended by representatives of the City of Brighton, the county government, and the Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce. Bishop says locating his district office in his home county of Oakland would have been more convenient for him, but the new location was chosen to be convenient for constituents. The district offices are located at 711 East Grand River, south of Main Street in downtown Brighton. (TD)
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Appeals Panel Reverses Local Judge's Ruling In Malpractice CaseAppeals Panel Reverses Local Judge's Ruling In Malpractice Case
One of the rulings by Livingston County District Judge Theresa Brennan in a medical malpractice lawsuit has been reversed by the Michigan Court of Appeals, while another in the same case has been upheld. The lawsuit alleges that Alexander Figurski, now age 7, suffered a brain injury resulting from a stroke during a 2008 delivery because of malpractice by a former Saint Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital physician. Attorneys for the child planned to present testimony from Dr. Carolyn Crawford, who concluded actions by the doctor were a direct cause of the stroke; namely failing to administer labor inducing drugs in a timely manner and failing to perform a timely C-section. But Brennan barred the testimony, siding with a motion by the defendants. Figurskiâs attorneys appealed and in a decision (posted below) released March 5th, the appeals panel ruled that Brennan ââ¦went well beyond her gatekeeping function and, instead of determining whether Crawford could offer an opinion on causation, the trial court actually resolved the issue of causation.â The decision added that Brennanâs role was not to resolve scientific disputes, but instead to rule whether Dr. Crawford was qualified to render an opinion. However, the appeals court did uphold Brennanâs ruling that allowed testimony from the plaintiff's economic expert, Dr. Anthony Gamboa, noting that in that decision, Brennan "properly exercised (her) gatekeeping function" by rejecting the defendants claim that Dr. Gamboaâs lack of an economics degree meant he was not qualified to offer an opinion. Judicial ethics prohibit Judge Brennan from commenting about ongoing cases. The case now returns to 53rd District Court for further proceedings. (JK)
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South Lyon High Student Arrested After Being Found Intoxicated At SchoolSouth Lyon High Student Arrested After Being Found Intoxicated At School
South Lyon Police arrested a 16-year-old South Lyon High School student who was allegedly drunk at school this week. Officers were dispatched to the school shortly after noon on Monday. According to the South Lyon Herald, an administrator told police she had been talking to the student between classes and could smell alcohol on him. She also said he admitted to drinking a vodka and coke before going to school, and that he had brought the bottle used to mix the cocktail to school. Police administered a breath test and found the teen had a blood alcohol content of .108%. The legal limit for drunkenness in adults is .08%, and the state does not allow those under the age of 21 to drink at all. Officers said the teen admitted to drinking half a pint of vodka during the morning. He was taken into custody for being a minor in possession before being turned over to his parents. The teen was on probation for a previous incident involving a fight. (TD)
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Zero Turnout For Howell Superintendent Search Public Input MeetingZero Turnout For Howell Superintendent Search Public Input Meeting
Not a single member of the public attended a meeting last night to share their opinions about what sort of person should be hired as the next Howell Public Schools superintendent. The district is beginning the process to find a replacement for Interim Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Hughes, who will be leaving the district at the end of June. Last nightâs meeting was held to gather input, feedback, and ideas from the public on what sort of skills and qualifications the district should be looking for in candidates, as well as to identify the strengths and selling points of the district to attract candidates to the job. However, no members of the public attended the meeting to share their thoughts. Dr. Marlene Davis, a search consultant from the Michigan Association of School Boards who ran the meeting, says low or no turnout for public opinion meetings is not unheard of. Davis says this is not the first time this has happened, and low attendance to this kind of meeting is not unusual. The district has also put out an online survey to collect input from residents, and Davis says that has been much more successful. She says that disparity is indicative of how communities are growing more tech-savvy. The MASB search team will take the feedback from the public to the board when it meets later this month to help guide the final job posting for the superintendent position. Another public opinion meeting will be held at the Howell Board of Education chambers next Wednesday at 7pm. (TD)
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