With less than three weeks until the American Cancer Societyâs Relay For Life in Brighton, team leaders and participants are doing all they can to reach the local eventâs goals. The 24-hour relay at the Brighton High School track on May 15th and 16th is just one of the thousands that contribute to the American Cancer Society each year. The fundraising goal this year is $90,000, with organizers also hoping to host at least 120 cancer survivors and have 32 teams participate. The Event Leadership Team reports they have raised almost $10,000 and currently have 97 participants and 14 teams signed up. Team leaders for Brightonâs Relay For Life met at Re/Max of Brighton last night to discuss promotion and fundraising for the upcoming event. On the morning of Saturday, May 9th, relay participants will be painting downtown Brighton purple to celebrate the American Cancer Society and raise awareness for the fundraiser. Signage and ribbons will be placed on lampposts and a second promotional event will be held that evening. Luminaria bags at the Mill Pond in downtown Brighton will be lit to honor those battling cancer and those lost. Gretchen Brelinski, a member of the Event Leadership Team for Brightonâs Relay For Life, tells WHMI she is inspired by all who contribute. Brelinski says this time of year administers several challenges that can affect the relayâs success. Several events take place during this already busy time and she says so many pull at peopleâs heartstrings. To encourage the community to take part in Brightonâs Relay For Life, the eventâs teams will be using social media, emails, fundraising challenges and unique fundraisers over the next couple of weeks. The American Cancer Society is the largest private, not-for-profit funder of cancer research. Relay For Life is dedicated to celebrating cancer survivorship, remembering those lost, and fighting back against the disease.(DK)
Brighton Relay For Life Team Leaders Rally To Prepare For Upcoming EventBrighton Relay For Life Team Leaders Rally To Prepare For Upcoming Event
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Brighton Charter School Critic Gets $50 Fine On Trespassing ChargeBrighton Charter School Critic Gets $50 Fine On Trespassing Charge
A $50 fine for trespassing has been ordered for a critic of a proposed charter school in Brighton. Glenn Ikens was arrested February 28th after showing up for a public curriculum meeting at the former Lindbom Elementary School in Brighton. He was later charged with misdemeanor trespassing. On Monday, he entered a no contest plea and was ordered to pay a $50 fine along with court costs totaling $676. The buildingâs owner, Pat Battaglia, said he asked Ikens to leave based on his past criticism of both Battaglia personally and the proposed school, the Lindbom Classical Academy. When Ikens refused, the police were called. An advertisement for the meeting referred to it as an open house and said âCome one, Come allâ. Ikens lives less than two blocks away from the school and previously said he wanted to learn more about the curriculum of the proposed school, which as a charter school would be publically-funded. Ikens and others in the community have raised concerns that the school is trying to infuse politics and religion into education. A spokesman for the proposed school told WHMI earlier that Ikens was asked to leave because Battaglia feared for his safety and that of the guests in attendance, although all agreed he was never disruptive. Ikens has spoken passionately about his opposition to the school during previous Brighton Board of Education meetings but maintains he never spoke out of turn and had no intention of being disruptive at the gathering. The misdemeanor trespassing charge carried a maximum penalty of up to 30 days in the county jail and/or a $250 fine. (JK)
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School Officials Advise Public On 'Stranger Danger' IncidentsSchool Officials Advise Public On 'Stranger Danger' Incidents
Officials in one local school district are advising the community to be on alert after an incident involving a student and an unwanted interaction with a stranger. Ed Koledo, superintendent of Linden Community Schools, issued a recorded phone call Monday night to homes in the district with information about an incident at Silver Lake Road and Hogan this past Saturday where a young person was approached by a stranger in a car. Koledo say it was similar to another encounter two Saturdays ago at Lahring and Sharp roads as well as previously in Mundy Township, near Cook and Reed roads and in February in the vicinity of Pine View and Seymour roads. He says that while none of the incidents proceeded past uncomfortable questioning, the similarities between them have drawn the conclusion that it is the same person. The person in question is described as a white male in his mid-late 20s with dirty brown hair, a beard, blue eyes and sometimes wearing a hoodie. The car has been reported as an older burgundy, four-door, GM sedan, possibly from the early 1990s. The Linden district has set up an informational page on their website and youâll find the link below. (JK)
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South Lyon Boys May Be Charged With Arson In ParkSouth Lyon Boys May Be Charged With Arson In Park
Arson charges are being sought against a pair of young boys in South Lyon who admitted to lighting fires in a public park last week. The South Lyon Police Department responded to McHattie Park last Wednesday just before 5pm to investigate a portable toilet which had burned to the ground, costing an estimated $800 in damage. They also found minor damage to other park bathrooms. Several hours of investigation led the police to a pair of 11-year-old boys who allegedly admitted to intentionally setting the fires. A parent was present while the boys were interviewed. The department reported that arson charges will be filed, and the case has been sent to the Oakland County Prosecutor for review. (TD)
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Howell Schools Name Superintendent FinalistsHowell Schools Name Superintendent Finalists
Six finalists have been announced for the open superintendent position with Howell Public Schools. Of the 29 applicants to the position, the finalists are Terry Barker, superintendent of public schools in Mishawaka, Indiana; Deirdre Brady, the Huron Valley Schools director of elementary education; Nathan Bootz, superintendent of Ithaca Public Schools; Erin MacGregor, Plymouth Canton Community Schools assistant superintendent of teaching and learning; Edward Okuniewski, deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction at LâAnse Creuse Public Schools; and Thomas Palmer, the Vassar Public Schools/Millington Public Schools superintendent. The Board of Education met last night to select the candidates. Each board member voted for their most desired candidates, with only Trustee Brent Earl absent. Five of the candidates got votes from at least five board members, but two other candidates tied for the sixth and final interview slot. The board had to hold a discussion to determine which would be the last interviewee and which would serve as an alternate in case one of the other candidates dropped out. The board also decided what questions they would ask the candidates. Search Consultant Dr. Marlene Davis advised them on which questions would be best, indicating that the board should keep their questions broad to get a better sense of how the candidates think. The first round of interviews will take place on May 12th and 13th. (TD)
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Milford Police Are Investigating Two Home Break-InsMilford Police Are Investigating Two Home Break-Ins
Police are investigating a pair of home break-ins in Milford Township. The first incident occurred on April 15 on Morrow Lane, when a woman came home to find her bedroom had been rifled through and several expensive jewelry items and boxes were missing. The Milford Times reports that police believe the illegal entry was made during the day through an unlocked service door in the garage. On April 16, a couple living on South Tennyson Drive reported that their house had been ransacked, as well. Among the items missing from their home were a television, a pair of $1300 designer shoes, several credit cards, and tickets to see the Rolling Stones. Police believe an unlocked door at the rear of the home was the point-of-entry. One neighbor reported seeing a silver Chevrolet Silverado with Ohio plates at the house during the day. Milford Police Chief Tom Lindberg said it is important to keep houses, cars, and garages locked, and encouraged neighbors to keep an eye out for one another. Anyone with information about the break-ins should contact the Milford Police Department. (MK)
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Drain Replacement Will Close Milford Road This WeekendDrain Replacement Will Close Milford Road This Weekend
Drivers in the Milford area will be dodging some orange barrels this weekend. The Road Commission for Oakland County says that starting at 7pm Friday, Milford Road in Milford Township will be closed to through traffic between Homestead and Old Milford Farms for the replacement of a drain culvert. The road is expected to reopen to traffic on Monday, May 4th at 5am. The closure is part a resurfacing project on nearly four miles of Milford Road between Pontiac Trail and the southern boundary of the Village of Milford. The posted detour route will be West Maple Road to South Hill to Buno back to Milford Road. In preparation, the Road Commission for Oakland County has been spreading fresh gravel along portions of the detour route. (JK)
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Volunteers Sought For Hunger Council Community GardensVolunteers Sought For Hunger Council Community Gardens
Volunteers are being sought to help the Livingston County Hunger Council grow food for local people in need throughout the summer. Each year, hundreds of volunteers contribute to the success of the local system of 10 Community Gardens all around Livingston County. The produce from those gardens is donated to Gleaners Community Food Bank, adding about 12,000 pounds of fresh food that will be distributed to local families in need. Some of the gardens are small and might be staffed by less than a dozen people, while the main Victory Garden is about an acre in size and might be tended to by more than 500 volunteers. Community Garden Coordinator Kay Simmons says the Hunger Council is looking for volunteers to help with all aspects of running the gardens, including planting, weeding, harvesting, and even taking the produce to carts around the community for distribution. Simmons says no special skills, experience, or tools are needed to participate, since there will always be someone knowledgeable to lead groups of volunteers and make sure the garden is raised properly. Residents who want to contribute but do not want to participate at one of the community gardens are invited to grow their own produce at home and donate it once it is mature. Contact Gleaners Community Food Bank to find out the best time to do that. (TD)
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Livingston County Road Commission Applies For Bridge Funding Livingston County Road Commission Applies For Bridge Funding
A handful of deteriorating bridges in Livingston County may have a shot at repair in just a few short years. A combination of federal aid and Michigan transportation funds make up the Local Bridge fund which aids bridge repair across the state. Local governments nominate bridges within their area that are in need of rehabilitation and the Livingston County Road Commission has approved applications for four projects. Mike Craine, Managing Director of the Livingston County Road Commission, says they are up against many other counties who are also in need of the funds. He tells WHMI the projects are categorized differently and some categories have more competition than others. The bridges on Mason Road over the Shiawassee River, Crouse Road over North Ore Creek, Cohoctah Road over the Cohoctah-Deerfield Drain, and McCabe Road over the Huron River are the prioritized structures that the funds would be used towards. Each system has its own set of problems including pavement cracks, deck and bolt deterioration, crumbling railings and holes in the web. The projects that will be awarded the funds will be announced in November of this year, making the funding available two years from that date. (DK)
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Mental Evaulation Ordered For Inmate Involved In Videotaped Jail ScuffleMental Evaulation Ordered For Inmate Involved In Videotaped Jail Scuffle
A mental evaluation has been ordered for a Livingston County Jail inmate whom authorities said fought with deputies, two of whom were accidentally shot with a Taser during the confrontation. 29-year-old David Wayne New of Brighton is charged with two counts of felonious assault stemming from an incident in Green Oak Township that led to his April 13th arrest as well as four counts of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer for scuffling with deputies at the jail the following day. A request was granted at a hearing Tuesday that New undergo a competency evaluation. New got into the confrontation with deputies after he was able to exit his cell and asked to make a phone call. When he refused to return to his cell, four deputies approached, with one forcibly pushing him back into the cell. When he began yelling at deputies about hearing voices in his head, they removed him to a single person cell. Up to eight deputies then tried to restrain New, who resisted their efforts. In the process, a Taser was deployed and two deputies were accidentally shocked before New was eventually restrained. The deputies suffered just minor injuries. The felonious assault charges that led to his arrest resulted from an incident in which heâs alleged to have assaulted two people trying to repossess his vehicle. (JK)
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Howell Family Leads 'Walk To Defeat ALS' This WeekendHowell Family Leads 'Walk To Defeat ALS' This Weekend
A local family is hoping to leverage their experiences dealing with a fatal disease to both raise awareness and funds for continued research. Maggie Barnowski of Howell became a reluctant advocate for ALS awareness in 2010 when her husband Don was first diagnosed with the disorder, also known as âLou Gehrig âs Disease.â The progressive neurodegenerative disease affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, eventually leading to death. For Don Barnowski, that fate came in 2012, just two years after his diagnosis. But in that time his wife Maggie, and their children, had to learn to deal with the disease largely without any locally-based resources. To help rectify that, Maggie Barnowski recently started a Livingston County-based support group, which meets the second Saturday of the month. Sheâs also restarted the Walk to Defeat ALS, which will be held this Sunday on the Cleary University campus in Genoa Township. It was last run in 2012 when Don took part using a power wheelchair (pictured), but sheâs hoping to make it an annual event from now on. Barnowski and her son Nick say the walk will help raise fund for the ALS Association which helps to provide research for a cure, advocacy and patient assistance. Check-in for the event is Sunday at noon, with the walk starting at 1pm. Youâll find details through the link below. You can also hear the Barnowskiâs complete interview by Clicking Here. (JK)
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Deal Finalized With New County AdministratorDeal Finalized With New County Administrator
A three-year deal has been finalized between the Livingston County Board of Commissioners and the man who will serve as the countyâs new administrator. Ken Hinton will step into the position with an official start date of June 1st, taking over from current administrator Belinda Peters, who announced her retirement in February. He will earn a salary of approximately $128,000. The county administrator is appointed by the Board of Commissioners and is responsible for the countyâs overall management. County board chair Carol Griffith said that Hintonâs prior experience as Wexford County Administrator in northwest Michigan, where he managed similar challenges Livingston County is facing, including building a new jail, will help make for a smooth transition. Griffith added that Hinton is expected to work with the Board of Commissioners and citizens âto examine the needs of the county, the development of programs and services, and the evaluation of the countyâs operations.â Hinton will also be responsible for overseeing the preparation and administration of the annual budget and financial policies to maintain Livingston Countyâs AAA Moodyâs Bond Rating. (JK)
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Howell Schools May Bring Technology Bond Issue Before VotersHowell Schools May Bring Technology Bond Issue Before Voters
Howell Public Schools might put a ballot proposal before voters this November to help fund improvements to education technology. Administrators made presentations to the Board of Education on Monday outlining how Howell is falling behind the curve when it comes to technology. With the exception of tablets purchased recently to meet state testing requirements, all of the districtâs computers are several years old, and even the new ones being purchased are four-year-old refurbished models. Interim Superintendent Jeremy Hughes says he was surprised by the districtâs lack of modern technology when he took the position a few months ago. Administrators in the district want to update the technology available to students and help bring it into the classrooms rather than computer labs. Residents in the Howell district are currently paying 7.06 mills for previous bond issues, and that will be reduced to 6.75 on July 1st. It is also scheduled to be reduced again next summer to 6.55 mills, but Hughes tells WHMI the new plan for technology funding would keep it steady at 6.75 for five years before it begins going down again. This would allow the district to sell $12.5 million in bonds between 2016 and 2022 that would be used solely to fund educational technology improvements and maintenance. It would also allow the district to pay off all of its bond debt by 2029, as currently scheduled. Administrators will be asking the Board of Education for permission to begin work on a ballot proposal on May 11th, with a goal of getting it before voters in November. (TD)
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Daytime Closures of Pleasant Valley Road & Spencer Road Next WeekDaytime Closures of Pleasant Valley Road & Spencer Road Next Week
Daytime closures of two roads in Brighton Township are scheduled next week and motorists should plan on finding alternate routes. The Livingston County Road Commission says daytime closures are needed remove and replace culverts that cross under Spencer Road and Pleasant Valley Road, north of I-96. On Tuesday, Pleasant Valley Road between Larkins Road and Burgoyne Drive will be closed from 8am to 4pm. That work should be completed on Wednesday. Then on Thursday, Spencer Road between Pleasant Valley and Van Amberg Roads will be closed from 8am to 4pm. Motorists are being advised to seek alternate routes during construction and the road commission cautions that the work schedule is tentative and subject to change. (JM)
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Tyrone Man Facing New Charges; Supreme Court Denies Appeal in Old CaseTyrone Man Facing New Charges; Supreme Court Denies Appeal in Old Case
A Tyrone Township man convicted of failing to register as a sex offender is facing new charges for alleged incidents that occurred while out on parole. 46-year-old Timothy Andrew Pickett is currently imprisoned at the Cooper Street Correctional Facility in Jackson County after violating parole. He was acquitted of accosting a child for immoral purposes by a Livingston County Circuit Court jury in June of 2013 but found guilty on the lesser charge of failing to register as a sex offender. Pickett served a one year and two month prison sentence before being paroled last April. However, records show he is facing two new counts of accosting a child for immoral purposes in Livingston County Circuit Court for alleged incidents that occurred while he was on parole in June of 2014. That case remains pending and heâll appear in court for a settlement conference May 8th. Meanwhile, Pickett has lost two bids to overturn his conviction for failing to register as a sex offender. Pickett was initially charged with trying to inappropriately touch the 14-year-old daughter of his girlfriend in January of 2012. The defense maintained the teen made up the story to keep her mother and Pickett apart, and a jury found him not guilty of accosting the girl. Police testified during the trial that he waited three weeks to change his address when he moved from Brownstown Township to Tyrone Township. Pickett first appealed to the Michigan Court of Appeals claiming prosecutorial misconduct, insufficient defense counsel and insufficient evidence but the court upheld his conviction and sentence last September. He then appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court, which denied the request in an order issued this past Tuesday. (JM)
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Horse-Themed Event Will Raise Funds For Cancer Research SaturdayHorse-Themed Event Will Raise Funds For Cancer Research Saturday
An event in Pinckney this weekend will focus on horses while raising money for leukemia and lymphoma research. The Ride for a Cure fundraiser will take place on Saturday from 11am to 3pm at the Hell Creek Ranch, located on Cedar Lake Road just north of Patterson Lake Road. The event will feature horseback riding lessons, hand-led horseback rides, hands-on demonstrations explaining the anatomy of horses, and yoga and Pilates demonstrations. All of these activities are free to the public, and the organizers will be collecting freewill donations for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. One of those organizers is Scott Nevers of Never Ending Farms in Pinckney, who says they chose research for blood cancers after learning about the cause when one of the organizersâ daughters was diagnosed at the age of 5. More information can be found through the link posted below. (TD)
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Former Ford Family Estate Highlighted At Opera House EventFormer Ford Family Estate Highlighted At Opera House Event
A standing-room-only crowd was treated to an evening of history and artwork from one of Michiganâs national landmarks last night. The Howell Opera House was the site for a presentation by the Friends of Highland Recreation Area on the history and future plans for Haven Hill. Purchased and built up in the 1920âs by Edsel and Eleanor Ford, Haven Hill served as a local getaway for the Ford family and many of their friends. Attendees got to browse a gallery of paintings and sketches of the Ford family in their time spent at the retreat before viewing a short documentary on the history of the estate. A digital photography presentation showed off the areaâs landscape and wildlife throughout the different seasons. There were also updates regarding on-going rejuvenation projects taking place. FOHRA President Dick Russell said he envisions opportunities for many family friendly events at Haven Hill in the future. (MK)
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Handy Residents Asked To Continue Supporting Road Millage On TuesdayHandy Residents Asked To Continue Supporting Road Millage On Tuesday
Regardless of how they feel about Proposal 1, Handy Township is asking voters to approve a local millage renewal to help maintain roads. The municipality has had a road millage since 1986, and it has been approved for renewal by voters every four years ever since. The one-mill tax generates about $148,000 every year, of which between $40,000 and $60,000 is used for dust control on dirt roads. The rest is put toward road improvement projects. Supervisor Ed Alverson says the fate of that funding will depend on the outcome of Proposal 1. The state ballot proposal is asking voters to increase the sales tax to replace existing funds that would be transferred to transportation projects, including road repairs. Alverson says townships with road millages are currently being encouraged to collaborate with county road commissions to repair county primary roads. (TD)
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Police Investigating Possible Attempt to Lure 13-Year-Old in Car Police Investigating Possible Attempt to Lure 13-Year-Old in Car
Police are notifying the community about that involved a possible attempt by two men to lure a young teen into a vehicle in the Whitmore Lake area. The Northfield Township Police Department responded to the area of Barker Road and Wildwood Lake Drive at around 8:30pm Monday night following a report of suspicious activity. A 13-year-old boy told police he was approached by two unknown white males in their 20's while walking down Barker Road, who asked where he was going and attempted to convince him to get in the back seat of the vehicle but he refused. The boy then continued on to a store on Barker Road but when he came out and started walking back home, the subjects reportedly followed him down Barker Road with their windows down looking at him but said nothing. The vehicle was described as a white four-door sedan and police say the boy called his mother who picked him up and brought him home. Police say Whitmore Lake Schools were not in session but have been notified of the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Northfield Township Police Department at 734-449-9911. (JM)
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Dexter Schools Warn Parents of Possible Viral Meningitis ExposureDexter Schools Warn Parents of Possible Viral Meningitis Exposure
Students at a building in the Dexter Community Schools district may have been exposed to viral meningitis last week. Parents of 5th and 6th grade students in two classes at Creekside Intermediate School were notified via letter on Wednesday, April 22nd, which indicated proper protocol was followed and the Washtenaw County Health Department was notified. Meningitis is an infection of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, which can be caused by bacteria or viruses. Viral meningitis is more common, rarely serious and usually causes less long lasting problems than the bacterial form. Classrooms where exposure may have occurred were said to be disinfected and Dexter Superintendent Chris Timmis told MLive.com that the student would be okay. However, district officials were asking that parents with children who showed symptoms to notify the Creekside school office. A link to a public health fact sheet about meningitis is available through the link below. (JM)
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