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Pinckney Man Sentenced In Indecent Exposure Case Pinckney Man Sentenced In Indecent Exposure Case

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A Pinckney man who defied court orders to wear clothing while outside on his balcony will avoid additional jail time. 61-year-old Alan Budzinski was sentenced to five years of probation in Livingston County Circuit Court, which was part of his plea agreement with prosecutors. He also agreed to seek counseling. Budzinski previously pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent exposure by a sexually delinquent person in exchange for another count of the same being dismissed, no additional jail time and probation. The charges were filed after an incident on August 4th in which two bank tellers and a police officer witnessed Budzinski standing outside naked on his balcony. He was already on probation from a similar incident last April in which he was sentenced to six months of probation with counseling and was specifically ordered to not be outside without pants. Court records further show that in 2010, Budzinski pleaded guilty to disorderly person/obscene conduct, which was reduced from indecent exposure. In that instance, he was wearing only a shirt. (JM)

Second Plea Entered In Teen Sex CaseSecond Plea Entered In Teen Sex Case

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Another plea has been entered by one of the four men charged with sex and computer crimes involving a Brighton teen. On Friday, 21-year-old John Joseph Gasiorek III pleaded guilty as charged to all five counts against him, including criminal sexual conduct in the 3rd and 4th degree, using a computer to commit a crime and accosting a child for immoral purposes. Gasiorek is one of the four men who are accused of having separate sexual relations with the now 16-year-old victim. 24-year-old Peter Alex Benedict of Brighton, 18-year-old Cody Swatling of South Lyon and 27-year-old Burhan Ahmed Mian of Flint are also charged in the case. The men are said to have met the victim through Grindr- a free social networking application geared towards gay and bisexual men. Police say all but one of the alleged incidents occurred in Livingston County when the victim was 15. Mian has been bound over to Circuit Court on amended charges and all four men are scheduled to appear for hearings in November. (DK)

Students Bond Over Positive Vibes At Howell High School To Lift SadnessStudents Bond Over Positive Vibes At Howell High School To Lift Sadness

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A movement of positivity at Howell High School is working to bring the student body together following recent tragic events. Two students at Howell High passed away within just a few weeks of each other and so many tragedies in such a short time has been hard on the student body. The high school’s Student Council approached staff with an idea to lift up their fellow peers by writing messages of encouragement on sticky notes and placing them on the lockers. Over 3,000 messages were written in just three days and put on every student’s locker in the 10-12 Building and Freshman Campus. Thomas Gould, Director of Public Relations at Howell Public Schools, tells WHMI the sticky notes serve as a reminder that students have a support system. The messages were simple reminders, such as “Keep Smiling” and “You’re Great”, yet still had a big impact. Gould says students reacted with excitement and surprise coming into school and reading the sticky notes. Gould says the school’s Facebook page has also generated a lot of positive comments to keep the good feelings going. (DK)

Local Democrats Plan Educational DayLocal Democrats Plan Educational Day

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An educational event in Howell will emphasize the importance of local government. The Livingston County Democrats invite the public to a Leadership Development Institute on Saturday, November 7th. The event is designed to help educate people about the importance of local government. Speakers for the day-long event include Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown who ran for lieutenant governor in 2014 and Ingham County treasurer Eric Schertzing who was the Democratic Party’s nominee for 8th District Congress. There will also be a panel of local residents who serve in local government who will talk about why service is important. The event will be held at the Operating Engineers Local 324 Training and Education Center on Highland Road near D-19 in Howell. There is no charge for attendance, but seating is limited. For more information email livcodems@gmail.com or call Judy Daubenmier at (810) 229-4212. (DS)

Howell DDA Unable To Fund Project From City CouncilHowell DDA Unable To Fund Project From City Council

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The Howell Downtown Development Authority will be unable to fund a project that City Council has deemed their responsibility. Howell City Council has recently approved the design engineering for a project that proposes burying utilities in an alley. Council feels this is a DDA project; however the DDA is not fiscally able to support it at this time. City Manager Shea Charles discussed the project at a meeting Wednesday night and says Council recognizes the DDA cannot afford to fund the project, leaving the City’s General Fund to bear the brunt of the project’s cost. Charles tells WHMI until the DDA can assume the cost; a debt could be issued for the project. Charles says the DDA is struggling as they are still reimbursing an additional mill that was levied for the Streetscape program. They were also unable to capture a garbage millage that was levied, which is one less revenue stream. The DDA also lost 45% of their revenue stream during the recession, which still has an effect on their financial situation. Charles says this is not because of inappropriate spending on the DDA’s part, but rather a difficult mix of factors. He expects the DDA will be able to absorb the cost in the future for the project and the debt service. The project has not been officially signed off on, and one City Council member has expressed extreme opposition to it going through at all. Mayor Nick Proctor says he is “very optimistic” to move on the project and construction would begin in spring of 2016 if approved. (DK)

Handy Township Opts For Sewer Study On Land ParcelHandy Township Opts For Sewer Study On Land Parcel

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A sewer study was approved by the Handy Township Board last week on a parcel near I-96. The vacant 10-acre parcel at the west end of Country Corner Drive currently does not have sanitary sewer service. Township Supervisor Ed Alverson told the Handy Township Board that a detailed sewer study will be performed by Hubbell, Roth & Clark. The sewer feasibility study will let the township know exactly how many REUs they can count on and proposed needs for the property. Alverson says having the parcel connected to sanitary sewer will increase its market value. The cost of the sewer study is not to exceed $4,900. Alverson says the Fowlerville Ford property, an adjacent property known as the Toyota property and the Country Corner parcel are all without sewer access. He says the question the sewer study will answer is how much it will cost to connect the three parcels to the sewer line. Trustee Gordon Munsell asked during the meeting if a purchaser of the property could be forced onto the sewer system if it weren’t already there. The township attorney Mike Kehoe told the board that state law says they do have to hook up if the sewer is there and available. (DS)

Shop With A Cop Fundraiser In Downtown BrightonShop With A Cop Fundraiser In Downtown Brighton

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Dozens of police officers from around the county are getting set to take to kids on a shopping spree. The annual Shop With a Cop Event is coming back and kicking off with a fundraiser on Wednesday, November 4th. Livingston County Undersheriff Mike Murphy said that this event is often as rewarding for the officers involved as it is for the children themselves. The fundraising event is once again taking place this year at The Main Crossing in downtown Brighton beginning at 6:30pm on the 4th. A percentage of all food and drink bills will go to the charity that is fully funded by local business owners and the community. There will also be a silent auction taking place. Murphy said that last year they were able to raise $5,000 from this event which targets children from 4 to 14. Murphy stated that they expect to help 120 kids this year and are hoping to raise $15,000 total. (MK)

Jail Status Change Denied For Man Charged With Molesting 9-Year-Old BoyJail Status Change Denied For Man Charged With Molesting 9-Year-Old Boy

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A pre-trial hearing has been scheduled for a Livingston County man facing possession of child pornography and molestation charges. 32-year-old Erik Lopez-Ferreyra of Howell is facing three counts of criminal sexual conduct for allegedly molesting a 9-year-old boy. He also faces three separate charges of child pornography in U.S. District Court after authorities discovered 57 child pornography files downloaded to an IP address linked to him. Howell Police notified the FBI in early August that they were investigating the molestation allegations. Those are believed to have occurred on three separate occasions in the summer of 2013. Lopez-Ferreyra is being kept in the Livingston County Jail but technically remains in federal custody. On Friday, his defense attorney requested an order from the court to reassign his client from high-security at the jail. The request was denied as the court has no jurisdiction over the jail. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for November 13th before Judge Miriam Cavanaugh. (DK)

Homeless Awareness Week Scheduled To Return To Livingston County Homeless Awareness Week Scheduled To Return To Livingston County

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A series of activities in Livingston County later this month will help raise awareness about homelessness in the area. November 14th through the 22nd will serve as National Homeless Awareness Week this year. The Livingston County Homeless Continuum of Care Committee is hoping to educate the community about homelessness in our area, focusing on its prevalence and dispelling myths about it. Anne Rennie, Community Collaborative Planner with the Human Services Collaborative Body, tells WHMI there are many stigmas attached to the issue within our county. The awareness week’s activities will include a homeless silhouette display on the Howell Courthouse lawn and a student art show at the Howell Opera House on the 18th. Rennie is hoping to confirm a dine to donate partnership with local restaurants to help raise money for the cause as well. Last year, 773 people, including 261 children, were homeless in Livingston County. Rennie hopes that through awareness and education, homelessness can be prevented from the start. (DK)

Michigan to Experience El Nino Winter Michigan to Experience El Nino Winter

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After two brutal winters, the Michiganders who struggled through them will likely welcome this year’s winter forecast from the National Weather Service. The key element for this winter is El Nino, which is ongoing in the Pacific Ocean. It happens when the waters off the coasts of South America along the equator and Pacific Ocean are warmer than average. Warning Coordination Meteorologist Rich Pollman with the National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac Office says these types of very strong El Ninos tend to lead to warmer and drier conditions for the Great Lakes region during the wintertime – with the strength of this one approaching records from 1982 and 1983, along with the winters of 1997 and 1998. Pollman reminds that in every winter, even strong El Nino ones, Michigan will surely experience snow storms and bouts of cold air but likely not as much as in years past. Pollman says we survived some records and with an El Nino of this strength, there is some potential that we could be touching records on the opposite end of the winter temperature spectrum. Two winters ago, he says we had the snowiest winter on record and it was also a top five coldest winter on record for this part of Southeast Michigan. February of 2015 was the top five coldest month of all time across southern Lower Michigan. Looking back, among the big severe weather events people will be remembering from 2015 was large hail in the Pinckney and Hamburg areas – with up to golf ball and two-inch size hail reported by residents and spotters. Pollman says it was a typical summer for Southeast Michigan with a few hot days and temperatures close to average. It’s been a relatively warm and dry fall season but he says that will probably change as we get into the first stages of winter. Pollman says there’s a better-than-average chance of a wet November as we head into the winter season but overall it should be closer to average temperatures, maybe trending toward the cooler side as it typically does. (JM)

Livingston County Animal Control Officer Awarded Statewide HonorLivingston County Animal Control Officer Awarded Statewide Honor

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A Livingston County employee has been given statewide recognition. Livingston County Animal Control Officer Melinda Hayward recently received the Michigan Association of Animal Control Officers “Animal Control Officer of the Year” award. Hayward was presented the award at the Great Lakes Animal Welfare Conference held in Battle Creek last month. She was nominated and chosen for the award from a group of her peers in a process that included Animal Control Officer Professionals from municipalities across the State of Michigan. Livingston County Animal Control Director Andy Seltz said that Hayward, “gives 120% every day to the citizens and pets of Livingston County” and they were excited to see her receive recognition for her hard work and dedication. During the event, which included over 300 animal welfare professionals from five states, Hayward was praised for “fearlessly and objectively” enforcing animal welfare statutes “by continually investigating and seeking successful prosecutions of those who commit heinous acts to animals.” Also noted were her efforts to engage law enforcement and other governmental agencies “in efforts to prevent and mitigate acts of animal cruelty and neglect before they happen.” Officer Hayward said she was honored to receive the award. “Giving voices to those who do not have one is a very rewarding experience and being recognized for your commitment to animal welfare and public safety is a great feeling!” (JK)

City of Howell Pursuing Grant Funds For McPherson Park Drive City of Howell Pursuing Grant Funds For McPherson Park Drive

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The City of Howell is pursuing a grant opportunity that could help offset a large portion of the cost to potentially resurface McPherson Park Drive in the industrial part of the City. Council approved a resolution of support to submit for the Transportation Economic Development Fund grant, which commits the City to a funding match of 20% or $269,000. The most viable option for that is a special assessment district and staff is in the process of gauging support amongst businesses within the corridor. The $52 (m) million Thai Summit expansion and related job creation is being used as potential grant leveraging for the rehabilitation project. McPherson Park Drive was constructed in 1985 to help spur economic and industrial development in the City of Howell. It has never been rebuilt and only received some maintenance work in 2005, thus the road continues to deteriorate due to heavy truck traffic. Regardless of whether the City receives the grant funds, staff has noted that the City will need to begin strongly considering a major resurfacing of the road within the next two to three years. (JM)

Interchange Work Will Force Overnight Closures On Southbound US-23Interchange Work Will Force Overnight Closures On Southbound US-23

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There will be additional overnight closures, including complete shutdowns, at the US-23/ I-96 interchange this week for bridge removal. The Michigan Department of Transportation says that there will be a total freeway closure on southbound US-23 Tuesday and Wednesday between 11pm and 5am for bridge removal. The posted detour will direct motorists to westbound I-96 to Grand River to eastbound I-96 and then back to US-23. MDOT advises motorists traveling through the area this week to plan extra travel time. The two-year interchange project has a price tag of approximately $75 million and is adding four new lanes to I-96 that will serve as “express lanes” while the exiting lanes and ramps are being redone to make entering and exiting the freeway safer. The project also involves the repair of six bridges and the reconstruction of three new ones to carry the lanes over U.S. 23. Photo is conceptual drawing from MDOT. (JK)

Stolen Vehicle Leads Police On Chase Before Crashing & Causing Power OutageStolen Vehicle Leads Police On Chase Before Crashing & Causing Power Outage

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A Livingston County man is jailed and facing charges after a police chase and crash early Sunday near Howell that resulted in a power outage. The Livingston County Sheriff’s Department says a 22-year-old Brighton resident stole a vehicle from Brighton Chrysler after breaking into the showroom early Sunday. A deputy spotted the vehicle traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Grand River near Hacker Road at about 1:45am and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The suspect turned off the vehicle’s headlights and fled. The deputy gave chase, but terminated the pursuit a short while later after losing sight of the car. Minutes later another deputy saw the vehicle on Grand River near Latson Road, traveling in excess of 100 mph with no headlights on. That deputy then gave chase westbound on Grand River again losing sight of the vehicle and ending the chase near M-59. A short time later a citizen called to report a crash on Grand River near Owosso Road, which turned out to be the vehicle involved in the earlier pursuits. The suspect lost control of the vehicle, left the roadway and struck a utility pole and gas line. As a result, areas of Fowlerville and Howell were without power for several hours, until DTE could repair the pole and restore power. The driver was taken into custody at the scene and is currently lodged at the Livingston County Jail pending charges. The Livingston County Sheriff Department was assisted by the Michigan State Police, Brighton Police Department, Howell Police Department, and the Howell Area Fire Department. (JK)

Michigan State Police To Take Part In Crash-Reduction OperationMichigan State Police To Take Part In Crash-Reduction Operation

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Michigan State Police will participate in a two-day operation that will focus on crash reduction as part of a statewide initiative. On November 3rd and 4th, a multi-state effort including state police from Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, will look at improving traffic safety. The coordinated enforcement operation will focus on commercial vehicle crash reduction and will take place on the I-75 corridor in Michigan and Ohio, and the I-70 corridor in Ohio and Indiana. The operation is a part of the statewide Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety campaign, which seeks to reduce the number of traffic deaths on the freeway. During the initiative, officers will focus on violations by commercial vehicle drivers and passenger cars traveling around those vehicles. The subject will be violations that are likely to contribute to a crash including speed, following too closely, improper passing and improper lane use. The initiative allows neighboring states to align their resources and Captain Michael Krumm, Commander of the MSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, says the enforcement is a great example of the MSP’s commitment to traffic safety. Additional initiatives are planned for later this winter. (DK)

Hamburg Museum Awaiting Reopening While Repairs UnderwayHamburg Museum Awaiting Reopening While Repairs Underway

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A historic museum building in Hamburg Township is closed for about a month while it undergoes much-needed repairs. The Hamburg Historical Museum is expected to reopen by the end of November after repairs to a flat roof above its main exhibit gallery and interior improvements are completed. Hamburg Historical Society President Wayne Burkhardt says the work will fix the leaky roof and make the museum less expensive to run. The historical society has struggled recently to keep the museum open. It opened in 2004 in the unusual building made of three parts, including a 168-year-old Methodist church, a library and a connecting section. Money collected through a Raise the Roof campaign goes into a fund for building improvements. (AP)

Township Gives $20,000 Budget Fix To Howell Area Parks & RecTownship Gives $20,000 Budget Fix To Howell Area Parks & Rec

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The Genoa Township Board met Monday night and approved a request to help alleviate a temporary budget shortfall. The one-time $20,000 payment is being requested by the Howell Area Parks & Recreation Authority of all member municipalities for cash flow purposes. Those include the city of Howell, as well as Genoa, Oceola and Marion townships. Authority Director Paul Rogers tells WHMI they experience a lot of ups and downs throughout the year with the budget, due in large part to the different timing of events. He says the possibility of a tremendous cash flow shortage is projected but only temporary and the authority board has directed him to approach the participating member municipalities to help offset the shortage. The Howell City Council voted to approve the request for additional funds during its meeting last week. Genoa Township’s approval of the funding request last night leaves Oceola and Marion Townships the remaining two municipalities to discuss it. With the influx of $80,000, the authority is also hoping to be able to set aside some for a designated reserve/emergency fund – something it’s never had before. Meanwhile, the authority is also changing from a fiscal year to a calendar year budget to more realistically reflect revenues and expenditures, thus each participating municipality must approve a new budget as well. Everything will need to be approved by all of the respective boards by January 1st to switch to the calendar year. The funding request will be before the Oceola Township board this Thursday, Marion Township the following Thursday and then back to Genoa Township in December with the budget and approval of amendments. (JM)

Longtime Council Member Retires in FentonLongtime Council Member Retires in Fenton

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The Fenton City Council bid farewell to a longtime member Monday night. Cheryl King says for the last 24 years she’s been having an affair; not with another man, but with the city of Fenton. At least she says that’s what it feels like because of the time she has spent away from her family in order to be of service to the city she loves. King chose not to run in the November 3 election, opting instead to retire so she can give back to her family what she’s been giving to the city. She says she is ready for the days when she can either get up, or not, and not have to live by a watch. King and her husband James have a daughter, son-in-law and grand-children whom she says need attention. King says she also lost a sister recently in Ohio. She plans to spend time with her family and visit her nieces in Tennessee to to let them know they are loved. She says that makes a big difference. Over the last 24 years King says making the city more walkable has been a goal and seeing the progress along those lines has been a highlight of her tenure. She says she has a lot of good memories working with people on the various boards and committees and will miss that, but she says she is ready to relax. During her last meeting King joined the council in approving an increase in board member compensation from $69 to $75 per meeting. (DS)

Health Department Receives Grant In Process To Achieve National AccreditationHealth Department Receives Grant In Process To Achieve National Accreditation

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The Livingston County Department of Public Health has been awarded a grant that will help the department achieve National Accreditation. The Health Department is raising their standards and is currently halfway through the process of becoming accredited. The department had originally budgeted $8,000 for 2016 to complete a five year strategic plan, which is a requirement that must be completed prior to applying for accreditation. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, awarded the department with a grant to complete the strategic plan in the amount of $9,550. The funds will also cover the cost to train staff and conduct pre-planning activities. On Monday, the Livingston County Board of Commissioners authorized an agreement with the two organizations to accept the funding. Commissioner Steve Williams tells WHMI becoming accredited is a great step for the county’s Department of Public Health. Williams says the strategic plan is “very detailed”. The entire budget for the department’s Accreditation Support Initiative in the county is $50,000. After the strategic plan is created, the next step is to promote workforce development, quality improvement and performance management before the department can officially apply to become accredited. (DK)

Lakelands Trail To Be Integrated Into "The Loop" Trail Across MichiganLakelands Trail To Be Integrated Into "The Loop" Trail Across Michigan

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The statewide Iron Belle Trail will soon be linked to a 44-mile, circular hiking and biking trail that will cross southeast Michigan including a portion of Livingston County. The nonprofit Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative says it has secured $75,000 in donations to create the looped trail connector. It will tie the existing Border-2-Border Trail and the Lakelands State Trail into a single, integrated system that will be known as the "Loop." It also will connect the towns of Chelsea, Dexter, Stockbridge and Pinckney, and the Waterloo and Pinckney recreation areas. Users will encounter blends of scenery including farmland, woods, rivers, streams and small towns. Michigan's Iron Belle Trail stretches from Belle Isle Park in Detroit to Ironwood in the western Upper Peninsula. (JK)
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